182 



THE RYE CEOP. 



partially or entirely abortive. The caterpillars, too, of 

 the "rye-moth" (Py rails secalis) take up their abode 

 within the spathe, and completely destroy the ears; while 

 the omnipresent wireworm is as partial to the young rye 

 plant as any other cereal, and, finding it growing on a 

 soil (light) suitable for its operations, frequently sweeps 

 away the largest portion of the crop. 



Curtis recommends, as the best remedy against the flies, 

 that all the infested plants, known by their yellowish appear- 

 ance and checked growth, should be carefully pulled up and 

 burned. This should be done as soon as they are noticed. 



Comparatively but little attention has been paid in this 

 country to the "Chemistry" of rye. On the Continent, 

 however, it has been treated with the consideration due 

 to its importance as the bread-corn of so large a propor- 

 tion of the population. 



The proportions of grain and straw, of course, are sub- 

 ject to great variations, both the soil and the season ex- 

 erting always great influence over them. Boussingault 

 estimates that about one-fourth of the straw is left on the 

 ground in the shape of stubble the proportion being 27 

 of stubble to 1 00 of straw. We have then to consider the 

 relative proportions of the other parts of the plant the 

 straw and the grain which are removed from the soil. 

 From a series of experiments carried on during several 

 years, by different individuals, we find the average to be 

 100 parts of straw to 41 parts of grain. 1 



1 Thaer gives 100 of straw to 40' of grain. 



1'odewils. 



Koppe ,, 



Burger (1807) , 



(1812) 



Block 



Schwerz (Hohenbeim) , , 



Moellinger (10 years) 



Dierixen , 



Boussingault , 



Average 41* 



41- 



28' 



41- 



54- 



51' 



29-3 



31- 



56- 



44- 



44- 



