The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-08-27
Rnpe or Raps Seed.

Mr.. EpIroR Il wish 10 state in answer to the
INQUIRIES made in regard to the culture of Rape or
Raps Seed, that | sometime ago published a commu-
nication in the PoiynesiaR, either i'll the last May or
the first June number. giving information of the
mannvr Of culture and the remunerative yield. 1t
is an impossibiliiy, after the days labor, to answer
questions that require lengthy explanations, ana L
make use, with your permission, of the columns OF
the .firertiSer TO refer again TO the rape ICED culture.
am glad to learn that the wheat growers on Maui
intend TO make experiments with rape. and L have
no doubt of their success and finding themselves
well remunerated for their labor, if they only do
their own part, that is do their work we'll. Rape is
the most profitable crop that any farmer IN Europe
from Spain to Edinboro', can raise. 1t requires a
rich soil, that must be thoroughly broken and timely
pulverized by two plOughings at least and narrowing
The finer the better the crop. The seed Is soWn elther
by drill machines, which is the best, or broad cast
and rery thin. The sower instead OF taking a hand
full of seed, takes only a pinch with thumb ana TWO
fingers. Half a gallon of seed | should Judge ABOUT
sufficient for one acre; but that farther experience
must teacn. As the seed is very small, no barrow
ing in is needed. A roller made from q piece OF
wood of Ave or six fact in length, IS sufficient TO
press the seed into the loose ground, The best time
of sowing in our climate is about the first week In
October. The seed would ripen about April or May
Rape is very hardy. From the time it shows its
thousand of yellow flowers it takes from six TO seven
weeks to ripen sufi ,ien,ly for cutting, 1t ripens
rne9ually. and as the yield of oil depends much On
the state of maturity of the seed, it should be cut
altrays when the half of the seed becomes of q brown
color. When left too long, there will be too great
loss by dropping out. The cutting in Germany IS
done with a sickle. and it is cut generally leaving a
- l. I-zzl o~. -. h ea11
upon q sail that can be moved into the neighborhood
handy to the reapers. If hauled on sleighs or
wagons, they must be lined with cloth or mating on
the bottom, to catch the loose seed. The easiest way
is to use horses for t~reading out the seed. la this
case The floor or sail is covered from two to three feet
high with the rape plants, and two OF three horses
are driven or rode around it, till the seed is all out.
When the straw is taken from the sail or floor. and
the layer of seed and chat should be too heavy for
another t~hreshing or ~treading. it is removed in bags
to be run over the fan mill. The best time of cut
ting is early in the morning or in cloudy weather.
As we have here such splendid moonlit nights, such q
nights work would be the very thing, and save not
only a great deal of sweat but more seed and oil.
On many places in Europe the farmers keep their
own oil mills, as the profits in pressing the oil are
large and the cakes are very valuable as manure, or
feed for cattle. The price averages from D to 3
cents per TO-, ant always Il ready market ID
rape straw when burned makes the strongest kind of
ashes, which to the soap-hoilers is worth as much AS
three pounds of any other kind of ashes. The young
rape plants that spring voluntarily up from dropped
seeds, are a very excellent feed for cattle aud sheep.
The produce of n good crop is about 40 to 40 bushels
per acre. the value of which in England would be
from 80 to 100 dollars A buShel of rape seed yields
from two TO three gallons of oil, according to the
state in which it was harvested. and about 80 pounds
OF oil cake. The market in Europe and America is
always remunerative. Sometime since, the oil was
quoted in New York at 81 20 per gallon. The light 4
houses alone in the United States consume annually
about $50 thousand gallons.
[ would suggest TO those who intend raising rape
seed, TO manure their land well for their crop of
rape. raise from May next, after the crop is harvest
ed, "A short crop, such as beans or oats, and after this
a winter crop of wheat. This process would give 8
crops in two years and n half. Or a crop OF flax,
beans or oats might be raised previous to ploughing
ami manuring for rape, a crop of rape, Ii short crop
again aud a crop of wheat to close, when the land
should rest.
l hope that a number of agriculturists will make
an ex pertinent. if only with one or two acres, so as
to acquire sufficient experience in the best modes of
process. Yours, HoLsTEIN.