276 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



now bear witness to the strength of the primitive 

 soih 



Pork Fatting in Indiana. — Tour correspond- 

 ent G, W. Massey aslvs for advice as to the cheap- 

 est -way of flitting hogs. In reply, I would say, 

 reverse the present practice of throwing corn to 

 them in the cold wet mud of an open railed pen. 

 It is bad enough for the naughty distillers to wash 

 their hog pens into the running stream, but for a 

 farmer to do it is suicidal. I once heard a Rhode 

 Island farmer say that each of his hogs, at a year 

 old, had made him seven dollars worth of rich com- 

 posted manure. G. W. M.'s Pike county farmers 

 have yet to learn that their title to the soil's wealth 

 is not indefeasible. 



The philosophy of feeding cooked food to fatting 

 animals is, that they digest it better and get all the 

 nutriment that otherwise would have passed off 

 with the fceces. In wintering animals a little raw 

 corn may be fed profitably, particularly to sheep, 

 with other food ; but if you want to put on fat, the 

 grain should be ground and boiled, or steamed, or 

 boiled without grinding; but as a change of food 

 is desirable, a little raw corn may sometimes be fed 

 in default of a change of nutriment more desirable 

 to the animal. s. w. 



Milwaukee, August 15, 1S5S. 



EYE AND ITS CULTUKE. 



The losses sustained from the midge at its first 

 advent in the wheat crop of this section, induced 

 us to give some attention to the culture of rye, as 

 well as some examination into it-s history and the 

 use and estimation which it has where it is most 

 extensively cultivated. We find it a prominent 

 crop in the Eastern States — in amount superior to 

 wheat and next to Indian corn — and consumed 

 largely as a breadstuff. Among the Pennsylvania 

 Dutch it receives considerable attention, and is ex- 

 tensively cultivated on the light lands of Ohio, 

 Michigan, and other "Western States. In some 

 localities in the latter section, however, one object 

 of its growth is the supply of winter pasture, as it 

 may be fed down for some weeks in spring, with 

 very little diminution in the product of grain, and 

 affords a succulent green food at a time when it 

 can not be procured from other sources. 



The soil on which rye has succeeded best, in our 

 experience, is a rich, sandy loam — the strong clays 

 in which wheat delights seldom producing good 

 crops of this grain. Wet lands are not congenial 

 to rye — a warm, light sand, on which most other 

 grains would yield light returns, will do better in 

 this crop. Good corn land will produce good lye, 

 and it is often sown after this crop, the last of Sep- 

 tember, and also on sward land of the proper char- 

 acter. 



Probably the best preparation is a thoroughly 

 tilled summer-fallow. Rye likes a deep, mellow 

 soil, and one enriched by manure ; and among the 

 fertilizers which may be employed, a compost of 

 muck and ashes would be very suitable both to the 

 requirements of the soil and the crop. If sown on 

 stubble, manure should be given — we find that 

 after barley, without manure, though the soil and 

 culture were both good, the crop does not fill well, 

 the yield being much less than the growth of straw 

 indicated. 



The middle of the present month (September) is 



the proper time for sowing, and from one and a' 

 half to three bushels of seed are given per acre. 

 The earlier it is sown, the more it tillers and 

 spreads, and hence the smaller quantity will be 

 enough at this season. If the growth is luxurious, 

 it may be fed off" both faU and spring; but wher© 

 one relies on this source of pasturage, the greater 

 amount of seed should be sown, and the better 

 character of land given. 



Harvesting should take place before the rye ia 

 fully ripe, as, with wheat, the grain is heavier and 

 the product of flour of greater amount and value ; 

 beside, there is considerable loss from shelling in 

 the field, if delayed too long. Careful handling is 

 necessary; we have known large wastage when 

 drawn very ripe and dry by careless hands. 



The average yield may be put at twenty bushels 

 per acre, though crops of thirty-five are occasion- 

 ally produced. Very often, however, fifteen bush- 

 els is as much as a very heavy growth of straw 

 wiU give, especially on land not well adapted to the 

 crop from too great an amount of moisture. 



Rye bread is esteemed a wholesome and palata- 

 ble food, although those accustomed to wheat bread 

 find it quite a different article. When mixed with 

 Indian meal and baked a long time, it makes the 

 famous " rye and Indian" so well known in New 

 England, and which we have never eaten in per- 

 fection elsewhere. The flour should not be ground 

 too fine or closely bolted, and it is said that an 

 aroma will be retained which is peculiar to this 

 grain, and which renders it more palatable. It 

 has a larger per-centage of sugar than wheat bread, 

 and does not as soon become hard and dry after 

 baking. We have noticed recently that rye flour 

 is used by an extensive bee-keeper in Ohio for 

 feeding his stock in spring, and that it answers in 

 this way a valuable purpose. 



Rye is pronounced by competent authority a 

 most valuable grain for feeding horses, cattle, and 

 swine. For horses at hard work, and requiring 

 hearty food, the Pennsylvania farmers give both 

 grain and straw, the former coarsely ground and 

 the latter cut, and both mixed together, with good 

 results. Less hay is eaten, and no other grain is 

 required. Corn is sometimes ground with the rye, 

 making a superior food for improving the coat as 

 well as keeping up the strength of the horse. The 

 same provender is valuable for fottening cattle. 

 As early feed for swine, before the corn crop ma- 

 tures, we have used rye with tlie best success. 



Rye straw is not well relished by stock, yet in 

 some sections its market value makes it the best 

 part of the crop. In Boston it is said that the 

 price averages $15 per ton, though it is chiefly used 

 for the bedding of horses. The greatest demand 

 for it in this section is among nurserymen, for pack- 

 ing trees sent long distances, and this is a want 

 soon supplied. We have foimd it excellent for 

 binding corn, for littering stables, and to add to the 

 stock of manure. J. h. p. 



Niagara Co., N. Y., August, 1S58. 



Contrary to the general opinion, a correspond- 

 ent of the Country Gentleman says that Iiis cattle 

 prefer hay made from grass cut when it is ripe to 

 that cut green, although tha early cut hay was 

 " cut, cured, and hoiised in dry weather, and in the 

 best possible condition." 



