WHEAT • 59 



of digestible nitrogen -free substance than the rye. 

 Owing to the fact that wheat contains more dry 

 matter than rye, when at the best stage of growth, 

 it, can be fed immediately in the usual quantities 

 without injury. From fifty to sixty pounds per 

 day is the quantity most generally used. 



The average yields per acre are slightly greater 

 than for rye, due mainly to the fact that it can be 

 cut at a later stage of maturity. Yields are much 

 increased by a judicious top-dressing of nitrate of 

 soda, as recommended for rye, the increase being 

 usually greater than in the case of rye, because of 

 the longer period in which the plants have access 

 to the food previous to cutting, — rye having about 

 a month for the absorption of the nitrate, whereas 

 the wheat has from six to seven weeks. The 

 average increase in yield from the application of 

 150 pounds of nitrate of soda per acre, at the New 

 Jersey Station, was over 60 per cent. 



Wheat is slightly less useful as a cover- crop 

 than rye, because it usually does not make so 

 vigorous growth in the fall, and starts off much 

 less rapidly in the spring. Still, it has its use 

 for this purpose, and one which should not be 

 ignored. Wheat and rye, because of their early 

 maturity, are especially suitable for supplement- 

 ing early spring pastures. In fact, they are the 

 only crops, except in the South, that possess this 

 most valuable characteristic. 



