No. 3. 



Rye — Breaking up Grass Lands. 



45 



be perfectly suitable to the growth of this 

 grain; and provided, also, that the stubble 

 be turned under immediately after taking off 

 the crop. But where the ground is suffered 

 to remain unploughed, till the stubble has be- 

 come divested of all its moisture, and the 

 seeds of the weeds have ripened, the succes- 

 sive crops will gradually lessen in product, 

 and the weeds will increase. We would, 

 however, by no means recommend such a 

 mode of culture, unless as much as twenty- 

 five bushels, or more of this grain could be 

 yearly had from the acre; as such a yearly 

 product would probably afford a clear profit, 

 to the acre, of half that number of bushels ; 

 and such a profit, in some of the lighter, and 

 in some of the harder kinds of soils, is not to 

 be despised. As the soil most suitable for 

 rye is usually that which is most benefitted 

 by the use of gypsum, it would be much the 

 better plan, instead of successive crops of 

 winter rye, to sow this grain, and spring rye 

 alternately, in order that the ground might, 

 every other year, be enriched by the appli- 

 cation of this manure. The growing crop of 

 rye receives no benefit from the application 

 of this manure; but it quickly covers the 

 ground with a find sward of white clover; 

 and as soon as ground is thus swarded, it is 

 in good condition for bearing any crop. Let 

 the gypsum, therefore, be sown in the spring 

 on the growing crop of winter rye; and, by 

 the middle of October following, the ground 

 will be covered with white clover; turn 

 this sward over in the latter end of the fall, 

 and in the spring sow a crop of spring rye ; 

 and as soon as this is taken oft', turn the 

 ground over again for a crop of winter rye ; 

 and in the spring repeat the process of ma- 

 nuring with gypsum, as before, for a crop of 

 spring rye, and thus proceed with these 

 crops alternately. In this way, we will ven- 

 ture to say, that nearly double the amount of 

 grain might be obtained in each crop ; par- 

 ticularly in the northerly part of our country, 

 where spring rye is nearly as productive as 

 that of winter. In such a mode of culture, 

 however, particular attention should be paid 

 to turning under the stubble of the crop of 

 spring rye as quick as possible, in order that 

 the seeds of the growing weeds be prevented 

 from ripening, as well as for enabling other 

 seeds, which may lie buried in the soil, to 

 vegetate, and thus be destroyed by the after 

 ploughing and harrowing for putting in the 

 next crop. 



Many farmers may have pieces of hard 

 gravelly, or very light sandy soil, for which 

 such a mode of culture might probably be 

 found as profitable as any to which the land 

 could be applied. But of this, the judicious 

 farmer will be best enabled to judge, after 

 obtaining a full knowletlge of what mode of 



culture is most profitable for his more sterile 

 grounds; and in order to this, he must esti- 

 mate the expenses of putting in his crops ; 

 the clear profits, after paying these expenses, 

 and the rent of the land ; and, whether his 

 lands are likely to become, eventually, more 

 exhausted by such mode of culture, than by 

 a change of crops, where grasses suitable to 

 the Roil, should be cultivated during some 

 seasons. Where winter rye is early sown, 

 a bushel to the acre is probably sufficient; 

 but of spring rye, a bushel and a half to the 

 acre, or perhaps more should be sown. 



Rye intended for family use, should be 

 harvested as early as the grain can be pre- 

 vented from shrmking, and let lie on the 

 ground a day or two to harden. In this way, 

 the grain will make much whiter flour; 

 though, perhaps, the product will not be 

 quite so heavy and bulky, as when left till 

 fully ripened. Probably all that is gained 

 by letting tl:e grain M\y ripen, before har- 

 vesting, is an additional thickness of the 

 skin; thereby increasing the quantity of 

 bran, but not of flour. 



Brcakii2g up Grass liaiicis. 



The Code of Agriculture has some gene- 

 ral remarks on this subject, which we insert 

 as the experience of the best agriculturists. 



If the land be wet, it is advisable to drain 

 it completely, previous to its being broken up. 



Land that has been long in pasture, does 

 not require dung during the first course of 

 crops that is taken after being broken up, but 

 the application of calcareous manure, is al- 

 vyays, in such cases, expedient. Sometimes 

 lime is spread on the ground before it is 

 ploughed; at other times, marl and chalk 

 have been used for the same purpose, with 

 great advantage. The land thence derives 

 additional strength and vigor; the succeeding 

 crops are much improved ; the soil is com- 

 monly so softened in its texture, that it may 

 be ploughed with half the strength that would 

 otherwise be necessary, and whenever it is ' 

 restored to grass, the herbage is abundant. 



Wherever the soil is not too shallow, nor 

 of a friable nature, or when the turf cannot 

 soon be rolled, if land is to be broken up from 

 old pasture, paring and burning is the proper 

 system to be adopted. In this way, good tilth 

 is speedily procured ; the damage that might 

 otherwise be sustained by the grub, the wire 

 worm and other insects, is prevented while 

 the soil receives a stimulus, which ensures 

 an abundant crop. 



When paring and burning, from any cir- 

 cumstance, cannot take place, the land may 

 be trenched, or double-ploughed. This is 

 effected by means of two ploughs following 

 each other, the first plough taking off" a thin 



