332 CEREALS. 



eighth century, and brought it thence into France. This 

 variety is at present the favorite in sections devoted to its 

 culture, its adherents claiming that it will produce more 

 in a shorter time than any other variety. It can be sown 

 in July, and harvested in September, and usually yields 

 thirty bushels per acre. 



The proper quantity to sow is one bushel per acre. This is 

 sown on ground previously broken up and plowed in. It 

 produces such a mass of leaves that the ground is thoroughly 

 shaded and all weeds are stifled. Twelve bushels will pay 

 all the expenses of cultivation which leaves any surplus a 

 clear profit. The average crop in the United States in 1873, 

 was 18.1 bushels per acre, which is more than twice that of 

 wheat. It does not stand extremes of heat or moisture; but 

 in the middle States it is never too dry for it. It has been 

 raised in South Carolina successfully, and in Virginia and 

 North Carolina it is one of the standard crops. As far 

 North as Wisconsin, Prof. Daniells experimented with it. 

 .He sowed eight quarts of seed weighing thirteen pounds on 

 seventy-two square rods of ground on the 28th of June. 

 The growth was very slow on account of dry weather. 

 When not fully ripe on the 30th of September, he harvested 

 it, and got 526J pounds of grain, which was at the rate of 

 27J bushels per acre. One bushef weighs 46| pounds. 

 Had it been fully ripe the yield would have been much 

 larger, but it had to be cut to escape frost. If it can thus 

 be grown in the chilling atmosphere of Wisconsin, and on 

 the hot. sands of South Carolina, there is no reason why it 

 should not be successfully and generally cultivated in all 

 parts of Tennessee, especially as before stated on our thin 

 lands. It would make a fine substitute for wheat for man, 

 and of oats for animals, and nothing could be better than 

 to sow it on the lands in such a year as the present, that 

 have failed to bring good returns of wheat, and in fact, it 

 can be sown any year after the harvesting of wheat and 

 oatSj on the same ground. It is sometimes plowed in while 



