608 
RYE AS GREEN MANURE. 
I saw an article in The R. N.-Y. last Spring about 
the bad effects on some truck crops by turning under 
green rye. I had planned to turn under V /2 acre 
and put in truck, but the article scared me, and I 
plowed under only one-half acre, the rye being be¬ 
tween one and two feet high. Before plowing I put 
on a very light coat of manure, also drilled a ferti¬ 
lizer analyzing 3J4-7-7 after plowing at the rate of 
A GROUP OF CHEVIOTS. Fig. 265. See Page G08. 
GOO pounds per acre. 1 planted to such crops as beans, 
peas, sweet corn, cabbage, onions, etc., and they are 
looking and doing finely, especially so for the dry 
weather we have had; but one rain since May 30, 
that on June 15. Do you think it advisable on above 
results to sow a l^-acre plot, which I intend to put 
in truck next season, to rye, or Crimson clover and 
Cow-horn turnips? E. W. K. 
Pennsylvania. 
R. N.-Y.—The article was written by D. L. Hart¬ 
man. We have had much the same trouble from rye 
when it stood too long before plowing under. We 
have thought the trouble due to one of three things. 
Just before the grain is forming the rye straw seems 
to contain a principle which affects the soil. We do 
not think it is an ordinary acid, since lime does not 
overcome this effect as it would with wheat, clover or 
peas. When the stubble after cutting the rye or the 
early green rye is plowed under we do not find such 
a bad effect. In a dry season the rye will suck the 
moisture out of the soil and leave it in very poor 
condition for plowing and fitting. Often the rye is 
plowed under and the ground is not rolled. Thus the 
air works in and dries out the soil. With any of 
these conditions the following crops would suffer. 
We cut rye early and use it for hay. If we were to 
plow it under we would cut it with a mower, let it 
wilt thoroughly and plow the wilted crop under. We 
would much prefer a crop of Crimson clover and 
turnips. _ 
PRIMARY NOMINATIONS IN IOWA. 
We have in Iowa a law for making nominations for 
candidates for public offices by popular vote. The 
law went into effect at such time that the nominations 
made in June, 1908, were made under the direction 
and control of the law. Public opinion was divided 
as to the wisdom of enacting such a law, and a strong 
element was hostile to its operation. There are de¬ 
fects in the law which may be remedied in future 
years, but up to date I think the following facts are 
generally acknowledged : 
First, the nominations are the correct expression of 
the choice of the people among the persons voted 
upon. Second, the law effects a leveling process, the 
result of which is that the plain business man or 
farmer has as much control over the result as the 
trained politician. Third, the power of money or 
combinations of influential men to influence or con¬ 
trol results has been greatly diminished. Fourth, the 
disorder and strife often attendant upon conven¬ 
tions has been entirely eliminated, and there is much 
better feeling between opposing factions or persons 
than under former methods. Fifth, the conscious¬ 
ness that his vote contributes as much to the result 
as that of any other person greatly increases the in¬ 
terest that common people have in the nomination of 
public officers. A few shrewd and practical persons 
could so manage affairs under the old system as 
practically to disfranchise everyone else. Under the 
primary election law the farmer who never mixes in 
political management is as effective a factor in the 
production of the result as the trained boss. As a 
result a class of people who rarely participated in 
the naming of candidates under the convention sys¬ 
tem now vote under the primary law, with the prob¬ 
able result that a much better class of men will in 
the near future occupy the official positions in our 
State. The result of this first election under the law 
has been that many who were opposed to it have 
become its friends, and instead of demanding it3 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
immediate repeal now say, “Improve it and try it 
again.” I think it one of the great social advances 
of our times. w. h. lewis. 
Iowa. _ 
SHOCKING AND STACKING WHEAT. 
There are about three things that need special at¬ 
tention in building a good shock of grain. The 
sheaves should be set up straight and compact, taking 
some pains to lift up the drooping and sprawling 
parts of the sheaves. Before putting on the Caps the 
shock should be pressed by putting the arms about 
the top and drawing it firmly together in a strong 
embrace. The cap sheaves should be put on crossed 
at right angles, and with the heads of the top cap 
placed in the direction of the prevailing winds, which 
in northern Ohio is west and northwest. We are not 
so particular as many are about having just 12 the 
number of sheaves in a shock. One or two sheaves 
are set down firmly as a center, then others placed 
around wherever it would seem they will give the 
best support. Usually it will need 10 to 12 sheaves to 
make a round compact shock without the caps. The 
sprawling heads should be lifted up before placing 
a sheaf, and after the caps are on tuck the heads 
around the edges under with the hands. These little 
attentions are what make the shock good, and it takes 
but very little more time. Putting the heads of the 
top cap to the west is of more importance than may 
be supposed by one who has not practiced that 
method, or had his attention called to it. The butt 
of a bundle placed to the wind will catch the first 
breeze, and off it goes. Only this morning I walked 
through our eight acres of wheat, which we finished 
THE ALFALFA FIELD IN MARCH. Fig. 266. 
cutting July 3; there are just 300 shocks, and only 
two looked as though they might not stand up straight 
for another week if necessary. I know by experience 
and careful observation that caps placed at right 
angles will shed the rain very much better than when 
put on any other way. Wheat cut before it gets too 
ripe will shock much better than after the heads have 
turned down, which they will do when dead ripe. 
Oats if cut a little green will not cure if placed in 
large compact shocks, as wheat will, but if only eight 
sheaves are placed together, and only one cap, it will 
cure all right. We never made a stack, as we have 
plenty of barn room. eugene f. cranz. 
Ohio. 
We shock our wheat by setting eight sheaves as 
closely together as possible, inclined slightly toward 
the center. After the sheaves are set up we go 
around the shock pushing the heads well together, so 
that the top of the shock is as smooth as possible. 
Then take a sheaf, set the “butts” against the shocker’s 
body and break over at the band till the sheaf has a 
fan shape; lay this sheaf on the shock with the heads 
in the direction of the prevailing winds, spread out 
heads and butts, usually using two sheaves in this 
way for caps. We have never had wheat to spoil 
in the field where the shocker did his work in this 
way, and did it well. Farmers in this section use two 
forms of stacks, the large long stack and the round 
or pineapple shaped. Poles or rails are put down 
for a bed to keep the sheaves off the ground. When 
building a long stack several rows or thicknesses of 
sheaves are laid the full length of the stack across 
the floor to raise the middle; then the stacker begins 
at one end and lays the first course with heads well 
up on the middle row, “butts out” on each side, till 
the stack is the desired width. Care is taken to see that 
sheaves are laid tight in regular courses, and that no 
July 25, 
holes or low places are made by those working on 
the stack, and that all sheaves lie higher at the heads 
than at the butts. Any novice can build a stack that 
will save by keeping the middle high, the courses reg¬ 
ular and the sheaves tight. The form and finish of 
the stack are matters of skill and judgment. Most 
stackers, I observe, take the sheaves in both hands 
and give them a little “set”; that is, they push the 
butts down first and lay the sheaf over instead of 
merely laying the sheaf down. The “topping” of the 
stack is merely drawing or narrowing it. This part 
of the work calls for most care, as the narrowing 
should be done with regularity, or too much of the 
under course will be exposed and admit the rain. 
After the topping is finished the stack should be 
raked down thoroughly, so that all straws extend out¬ 
ward and help to carry off the water. The general 
outline of the sides should be slightly wider at the 
shoulder than at the base, and regular in formation. 
The round stack is built on the same general prin¬ 
ciple, and when finished should be the shape of a 
pineapple. When fears are entertained that a stack 
will not settle evenly it is advisable to lay heavy 
poles against the sides or around it to keep it from 
going to one side and opening the other. The gen¬ 
eral principles of stack building are tight formation, 
high middle, increasing as the stack gets higher and 
regular courses; then most of all, good common sense. 
Easton, Pa. _ j. f. e. 
CO-OPERATION AMONG FARMERS. 
On page 520 W. W., Pennsylvania, asks why is it 
so hard to get farmers to see the benefits of co-oper¬ 
ation. As this is a vital question, and always interests 
me, I desire to give my experience along this line. 
Two years ago a half dozen farmers conveniently 
located and within easy haul from a railroad siding 
three miles from the city, united in buying a car of 
bran. The writer acted as business manager, bought 
the goods, notified each party by telephone on arrival 
of the car, attended to the unloading, which was 
directly into the purchaser’s wagons, received the 
money, and paid the bill. This little co-operative 
stroke saved us the difference between $17.10 and $22 
per ton, or about $100 on the car. Since then several 
cars of gluten and other feeds have been bought and 
divided in like manner, and at a saving of from $2 
to $4 per ton. Recent investigations show that hran 
can now be laid down here in car lots at close around 
$22, as against a local price of $30. The latter price, 
or anything near it, is prohibitive, and should not be 
considered for one moment by any farmer or dairy¬ 
man. This matter of co-operation can be applied not 
only in buying feed stuffs, but farm machinery, fer¬ 
tilizers and other things, and is the farmer’s salvation. 
When your miller will pay you 90 cents per bushel 
for wheat, a ton of it, 33J/$ bushels, will just buy a 
ton of bran at $30. It is time we sharpened our 
pencils, and did a little careful figuring before either 
buying or selling. B. w. putnam. 
Michigan. 
R. N.-Y.—Co-operative organizations in Great Brit¬ 
ain have a membership of 2,50 j, 000, who, with their 
families, include nearly 10,000,000 men, women and 
children, almost one-fourth of the population of the 
United Kingdom. The sales of these associations 
SLOW-GROWING ALFALFA PLANTS. Fig. 267. 
yield a profit of £20,000,000 annually, which goes back 
to the members in the form of dividends, amuse¬ 
ments, educational classes and lectures. The history 
of co-operation in Great Britain forms an amazing 
record, and one well worth earnest study. 
The “devil’s paint brush” or Orange hawkweed, is a 
well-named plant, for it will paint destruction over a 
field if it once takes possession. It is working into many 
parts of New York. Thorough culture with a short rota¬ 
tion will kill it out, and salt broadcast on meado.vs or 
pastures is recommended where fields cannot be plowed. 
