Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-05-25
FARM AND GARDEN
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AGRICULTURISTS-
soms Up-to-Dsts Hints About Cultiva-
tion OF the Soil and Yields Thereof
Horticulture. yiticulturs and EIoricul
ture.
Rape and 1T. Cultivation.

]. H. Skinner. assistant agricu1tur-
fst of the Indiana Experiment Sta
ton, sends out a press bulletin on
rape growing. We believe this plant
to be very valuable to the farmer and
would advise its more general grow
ing. The bulletin referred to is as fol-
lows:
Rape is a succulent plant belonging
to the cabbage family. 1t grows rap
idly, making a large amount of green
food, upon which pigs and sheep grow
well. To make a success of rape, select
rich piece of land free from weeds.
Plow deep, then roll-if not too moist,
and harrow till the soil is finely pull
verified and well firmed down. Finish
the preparation by running a plank
drag over 1t. Such a seed bed will
germinate the seed quickly and enable
the plants to withstand dry weather.
I prefer to have the blowing done just
before sowing. This will give the rape
an even start with the weeds.
Sow with garden seed-drill, three
pounds, or five pounds broadcast per
acre. When drilled the rows should
not be more than 20 to "a inches apart.
Drill sowing will permit cultivation.
which will keep down weeds, conserve
Where drilled the animals destroy less
as they walk, and lie down between
the rows. If 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 1t comes up better
and grows more rapidly. Usually it
should not be sown before the middle
of April-in this Latitude of north GEN.
trail Indiana. 1t is best to SOW at in
tervals 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 OH
second time. This also makes less
waste as the stock does not run over
it SO much. Rape may be sown in the
corn just before the last cultivation
If the soil is not too dry, it will grow
well unless the corn is very large and
thick. Where thus sown it makes
splendid pasture for lambs from Sep
tember till cold weather. Some men
have had success in sowing rape with
oats. This however is not a sure way
as the season will have much to do
| with it.
1t is a good plan to have the rape
patch near the barns and alongside of
! the pasture. This brings the animals
under the stockman's eye, and if a
lamb ''bloats" he is there to give it at
| tention. If the stock can go freely
| back and forth between the pasture
and rape, it will save trouble, time,
labor and even loss. Rape thus sup
plements the pasture, making fat
lambs and good pigs. Where 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. If they do not have the
run of the pasture, turn them on the
rape for an hour a 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.