THE MOST IMPORTANT CEREALS 171 



Hungary, it is of great importance. It is grown farther north than the 

 other cereals. In the United States, rye is grown mostly in regions having 

 a cool climate and sandy soils. About two-thirds of the rye grain pro- 

 duced in the United States is used as a cattle food and the other third 

 formerly in the production of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. 



Notwithstanding the fact, that rye will grow on poor soils, the crop 

 responds to good soils and the application of fertilizers. When intended 

 for a grain crop, it should be sown about September i in the northern 

 states and in the latter half of November in the southern states. If 

 used as a cover, pasture, or green manure crop, it should be planted two 

 weeks to a month earlier than if grown for the grain. It should in all 

 cases become well established before winter begins. Rye is best sown in 

 drills 6 to 8 inches apart, using a regular grain drill and covering the seed 

 one-half inch to two inches deep. The usual rate of seeding in the eastern 

 states is about 6 pecks to the acre. Rye ripens about the middle of May 

 in extreme northern Florida, and in the northern states between July 10 

 and July 25 being a few days earlier than wheat. The crop is cut and 

 bound like wheat and the shocks are relatively high as the stems frequently 

 reach a height of six feet. It is difficult, therefore, to harvest it with a 

 self-binder. After the crop is well-cured in the shock, it should be stacked, 

 or put under cover until threshing time. The grain is threshed out the 

 same way as with wheat and the grains. 



Rotation. Ordinarily rye occupies the place assigned to wheat in a 

 rotation. The Rhode Island station has practised a six-course rotation, 

 as follows: first year, winter rye; second year, timothy, redtop and me- 

 dium red clover; third year, grass; fourth year, grass and fifth year, maize; 

 sixth year, potatoes. No stable manure was applied, but liberal supplies 

 of fertilizers were used. Rye which is to be used as a green manure may 

 be sown in the standing maize in September, or after maize is shocked, 

 may be disked in without plowing. It is plowed into the soil the following 

 spring. A rotation for Minnesota and suitable for other states in the same 

 latitude is first year, rye (land fall plowed after crop) ; second year, barley 

 (seeded to clover) ; third year, clover (second crop plowed under) ; fourth 

 year, corn; fifth year, barley, or other grain. In some of the North 

 Atlantic states, where rye straw has a high value, the following rotation 

 may be followed successfully: first year, corn, with a heavy application 

 of stable manure; second year, oats with acid phosphate; third year, rye 

 with acid phosphate; fourth year, grass, seeded the year before with the 



