The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-05-16
FARM AND GARDEN
MATTERS or INTEREST TO
AGRlcULTURlsTs.
esns rp-to-Date Hint. About cu,t,va-
'lon OF tho Soil and Yield. Thereof
noft'caiturs. Sitioulturs and Florlcul
tarA
Rape and Its Cult,vat,on.

. :.
j. Fl. Skinner. assistant agricu,tpr-
~ OF the Indiana Experiment Sta
uOn' sends out press bulletin on
sape growing. We believe this plant
% pe very valuable to the farmer and
would advise its more general grow
lng. The bulletin referred to is as fol-
lows: = - -
Rape is succulent plant belonging
20 the cabbage family. 1t grows rap
.aiy. making large amount of green
1000. upon which pigs and sheep grow
yell TO make success of rape. select
rich piece Of land free from weeds.
row deep, then roll-if not too moist,
ana harrow till the soil is finely pull
verized and we'll firmed down. Finish
the preparation by running a plank
drag over it. Such a seed bed will
terminate the seed quickly and enable
the plants to withstand dry weather.
prefer to have the blowing done just
before sowing. This will give the rape
an even start with the weeds.
Sow with garden seed-drin, three
pounds. or five pounds broadcast per
Z WACA Ol1llSO Iu0 IOWS SuOulO
not be more than 20 to "a inches apart.
Drill sowing will permit cultivation,
which will keep down weeds, conserve
moisture and increase the yield
Where drilled the animals destroy less
Is they walk. and lie down between
the rows. II sown broadcast cover
with harrow or weeder and roll. In
many cases it is well to roll the drill
sowing also.
The season will control time of seed
ing. Do not SOW until the ground has
become warm enough to quickly germ
mate the seed. as it comes up better
and grows more rapidly. Usually it
should not be sown before the middle
OF April-in this latit'-de of north CEN
trail Indiana 1t is best to SOW at in
terva1s OF ten days to two weeks. BY
the use Of low hurdles, this will give
fresh pasture throughout the season,
as the early sowing can be grazed off
second time. This also makes less
waste as the stock does not run over
1t so much. Rape may be sown in the
corn just before the last cultivation.
II the soil Is not too dry, it will grow
we'll unless the corn is very large and
thick. Where thus sown it makes
splendid pasture for lambs from Sep
TENDER till cold weather. Some men
sAaye had success in sowing rape with
oats.NssThis however is not sure way
~ the season will have much to do
with it.
It Is good plan to have the rape
patch near the barns and alongside of
tne pasture. This brings the animals
under the stockman's eye, and if a
lamb 'bloats" he is there to givA it at
tention. Il the stock can go freely
back and forth between the pasture
and rape. It will save trouble time
labor and even loss Tins sun
lambs and y ID pigs. Wn1re sheep
have access to both rape and grass,
they should not be turned on the rape
until the middle of the day when the
animals are not hungry enough to
gorge themselves, and the rape is free
from dew. II they do not have the
run Of the pasture, turn them on the
rape for an hour day gradually in
,creasing the time, until they become
accustomed to it. Then keep them on
It continuously till the end of the sea-
son.