236 DRY LAND FARMING 



The yields, of course, vary with the conditions. 

 Crops of winter wheat have been grown giving yields 

 of 60 to 70 bushels per acre. These are, of course, very 

 exceptional and rare. On summer-fallow land and after 

 a cultivated crop, the average should not be less than 25 

 bushels. Drilled in amid the stubbles of a preceding 

 crop of grain, it will usually be much less. Maximum 

 crops of spring wheat may be placed at about 40 bushels, 

 with an average of, say, 15 to 20 bushels in well prepared 

 soils. 



GROWING RYE, WINTER AND SPRING 



The place assigned to rye in the past in semi-arid 

 areas has been of but little significance. The great 

 use that may be made of it in such areas is not, apparent- 

 ly, well understood by many of those who till the soil. 

 In wide areas its growth has not been attempted, not- 

 withstanding that it may be grown with advantage 

 for more uses on the farm than any other cereal. 

 These include growing it: (1) for the grain; (2) 

 for hay ; (3) for pasture, and (4) for green manuring. 

 The methods to be followed in growing it for these sev- 

 eral uses are, fortunately, nearly the same. The chief 

 difference lies in the amounts of seed to use, but there 

 is some difference, also, in the time that is most o'ppor- 

 tune for sowing the seed. 



Rye, especially of the winter varieties, may be grown 

 under a greater variety of conditions than any other 

 cereal adapted to semi-arid areas. It is the hardiest of 

 all cereals viewed from the standpoint of climatic con- 

 ditions. It would seem correct to say that it will stand 

 more heat and drought than any of these. With refer- 

 ence to cold, it is the hardiest of the cereals, by far. The 

 variations in the time for sowing it are greater, and it will 

 grow on a greater variety of soils. It may be grown 

 successfully in the coldest portions of the semi-arid west 



