The Marshall republican., 1912-08-16
GROWING RAPE.
Reply to Nathan Rlnaser, Grover
Hill, Ohio.


mich cows. and what time ia best to
sow How are soy beans for cattle,
and what Is the time to SOW here?
Would like to know II alfalfa makes a
good pasture II sowed for mich cows.
al the clover is all frozen out here this
spring"
Rape 10 best adapted TO cool cli-
mates. but still does exceptionally well
In a very wide range OF latitude. II
has been grown successfully In parts
Of Mississippi, and all the way north
into Canada. II does best and de-
velops the most rapidly on rich, moist.
ioamy soils. although II will do fairly
we'll on light. sandy soils n they are In
a good state Of cultivation. Rape Is a
very heavy feeder. and requires a great
deal Of moisture. II alco utilities a
considerable amout Of nitrogen as
well as mineral plant food elements
II requires practically the same plant
feed an corn. In very nearly the same
| proportions, and for this reason corn
does not do SO we'll following rap as
some other crops. for instance. wheat
The soil should be prepared In much
the same way as for corn; In other
words. II should be in a good state Of
cultivation before planting the rape.
There are several ways Of planting
this crop, depending upon conditions.
Some farmers prefer TO drill II In rows
and cultivate Il. This method In not
generally followed. but gives very good
satisfaction. The usual method IL TO
SOW broadcast some time along from
the first OF May to the middle OF July,
either on land specially prepared. on
land following an early crop. or In the
growing corn field. The usual amount
| Of seed required per acre varies from
four Ia I'VE pounds. 4.
Under favorable conditions. rape n
ready for pasture from nifty TO seventy
days after sowing. W. have known
OF instances where II would AFFORD
good pasture six weeks after planting
but this IL unusual.
Rape has q very high feeding value,
and IA considered an excellent feed for
f~attening sheep and swine. II greatly
increases the now Of milk from milch
cows. Some farmers object 20 II be-
cause they claim II taints the milk.
To overcome this objection. II 10 we'll
to feed rape after milking. II Ia q
very valuable feed for other stock.
| Sheep and hogs are usually better than
other kinds Of stock for pasturing on
rape. The best way to feed cattle and
horses IN to use rape IN q soiliug
crop.
In several states they have expert
mented with mixing rape with oats or
wheat. and have succeeded very well.
In Iowa a pound Of rape was sowed
per acre about ten days after seeding
the Data The rape interfered to
some extent In harvesting the oats.
but probably would not have caused
any trouble II II had been sowed three
weeks after the oats were planted. II
tho land ia very poor. II probably
would be best TO SOW the rape with
the small grain.
Speaking OF the use OF soy beans.
will say that this crop Is grown very
succeafully in parts OF Ohio. and ranks
very close to clovers and alfalfa for
hay. The variety known "a medium
green will mature seed In from ninety
to one hundred days. and is considered
about the best variety for most locali-
ties. The Ito San Ia n quicker matur-
ing variety than the medium green,
but does not produce quite a. much
forage to the acre nor quite az many
I--- ..-A.. shA FaavnA conditions
Among the other varieties are the
medium yellow and tho medium
early black, but these are not as gen
orally grown as the ones mentioned
above.
II you expect to grow BOY beans for
seed, the best success can be obtained
by drilling In rows from t~wenty-eight
10 thirty inches apart. This will re-
quire about q half bushel OF seed to
the acre; when drilled twenty-four
inches apart. three-quarters OF
bushel Of seed; and. when drilled with
the ordinary grain drill. seven or eight
inches apart, II will require about two
bushels OF seed to the acre. When
drilled as close as seven or eight
inches the hay produced is OF q bette
quality. not being so coarse as when
the rows are wider. From the stand
point OF the production Of forage.
there f. not q great deal Of difference
In the yield per acre. whether the
rows are drilled eight inches apart or
t~wenty-four.
There may be some trouble in cur
ing SOY bean hay. but II the weather
conditions are favorable. there need
be no loss while curing. Soy beans as
a crop do very well In ordinary soils
but will respond much better II the
seed bed IL thoroughly prepared This
plant IA . shallow feeder. and thus viii
do better In fields that have been
thoroughly cultivated than II will
under ordinary conditions
Speaking Of alfalfa for pasture. will
cay that slfAlfa sowed this spring