On the St. Johns-Dai/ Rije. 
343 
well as of all other rye, unquestionably is that which contains a 
large projxirtion of siliceous matter. " The true rye-lands," says 
M. Siinondi, " and in which it can alone succeed, are the sandy 
soils, and there are (in Tuscany) many such in the neighbourhood 
of the rivers. Good farmers have for some time past compelled 
themselves to exclude rye from all other soils." A considerable 
mixture of argil, however, is not inconsistent with good rye crops : 
a very stiff clay is less favourable, and a mere calcareous soil still 
less agrees with this grain. Crops of rye on the chalk downs are 
not a fair specimen of the capabilities of the plant. In a deep 
rich siliceous sandy soil, well manured, the author has once raised, 
on a limited breadth, a produce after the rate of 40 bushels of 
grain, and II London loads of straw, to the acre. He has found 
it a most abundant and valuable food for sheep, and an excellent 
soiling crop ; insomuch that he has habitually made it his chief 
dependence for all his stock in stable and stall, from the time of 
the year when he can first begin to cut it without extravagance, 
to the time\vhen it ceases to be eatable, comj)rehending, in those 
years when he has had an ample breadth of it, a period of from 
30 to 50 days. In 1844 it was first cut by him on May 4, and 
continued to be eaten until June 7, when it was finished. In 
1845, it was first cut for the stock some day about the middle of 
May, and continued to be eaten by the horses until the 4th of 
July. In 1846, it was first cut on the 5th of May, and the last 
of it on the second day of June ; at which time the Racer vetches 
being in full blossom, and amply fit to cut for the use of the 
stable and cowhouse, and to succeed in the place of the St. 
John's-day rye, he was compelled to begin eating them, and 
thereby was enabled to avail himself of the opportunity to convert 
a part of his rye- crop to the purpose of dry fodder, and also to 
preserve a larger than usual quantity thereof for seed. 
The author's experience of the value of this plant for sheep- 
feed has been more limited than he could have wished during this 
his second period of its cultivation; for, partly through the desire 
to follow up his turnip-sowing, as long as turnips were worth 
sowing, and his reluctance afterwards to sow this rye at a season 
when he knew he could not do justice to it ; partly from the large 
portion eaten by 12 horses, 4 cows, and "20 or 30 pigs for six or 
seven weeks ; partly from the necessity of saving a portion for seed 
for himself, and from the desire of imparting portions to improv- 
ing agriculturists, he has rarely, and indeed in one year only, had 
any breadih to bestow on his sheep ; which, in that year how- 
ever, throve well on it ; and he therefore is unable to give any 
specific details as to the number of sheep that an acre would 
carry for any definite time, and must confine himself, for the rest, 
to his recollections of 25 years since, which have left on his mind 
