The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1912-07-09
GROWING RAPE.
Reply to Nathan Ringer, Grover
Hill, Ohio.
Grover


''Iow is rape as cattle feed for
mil2h COWS, ara WRIST time is sst to
SOW? How are SOY beans fer cattle,
and What IS the time to SOW here?
Would like to knew if alfalfa makes a
good pasture II sowed for mich COWS,
as the clover is all frozen oul here this
spring
Rape is best adapted to cool eli
mates, but still does exceptionally we'll
in a very wide range of latitude. 1t
has been grown successfully in parts
OF Mississippi, and all the way north
into Canada. 1t does best and de-
velops the most rapidly on rich, moist,
loamy soils, although it will do fairly
well on light, sandy soils If they are In
a good state of cultivation Rape is a
very heavy feeder, and requires great
deal of moisture. 1t also utilizes
considerable amout of nitrogen as
well as mineral plant food elements.
1t requires practically the same plant
feed as corn, in very nearly the same
proportions, and for this reason corn
does not do so we'll following rape as
some other crops, for instance, wheat
The soil should be prepared in much
the same way as for corn; in other
words. it should be in good state OF
cultivation before planting the rape.
There are several ways of planting
this crop, depending upon conditions.
Some farmers prefer to drill it in rows
and cultivate it. This method is not
generally followed, but gives very good
satisfaction. The usual method is to
sow broadcast some time along from
the first of May to the middle OF July,
either on land specially prepared, on
land followir" an early crcp. or IN tire
growing corn field. The usual amount
of seed required per acre varies from
four to five pounds.
Under favorable conditions, rape IS
ready for pasture from fifty to seventy
DAYS after sowing. We have Known
of instances where it wou'c afford
good pasture six weeks after planting
but this is unusual.
Pape has a very high feeding value,
and is considered an excellent feed for
fattening sheep and swine 1t greatly
increases the flow of milk from mich
cows Some farmers object to it be-
cause they claim it taints the milk.
To overcome this objection, it is we'll
to feed rape after milking. 1t is
very valuable feed for other stock.
Sheen and hogs are usually better than
other kinds OF stock for pasturiDg on
rape. The best way TO feed cattle and
horses is to use rape as a soiling
crop
In several states they have eX0eri-
mented with mixing rape with oats or
wheat, and have succeeded very we'll
In Iowa pound of rape was sowed
per acre about ten days after seeding
the oats. The rape interfered TO
some extent in harvesting the oats.
but probably would not have caused
any trouble II it had been sowed three
weeks after the oats were planted. II
the land is very poor, it probably
would be best to SOW the rape with
the small grain.
Speaking of the use Of soy beans,
will say that this cren is grown ver'
successfully in parts of Ohio, and RANKS
very close to clovers and alfalfa for
hav. The variety known as medium
green will mature seed in from ninety
to one hundred days, and is considered
about the best variety for most local1-
ties. The Ito San is quicker matur-
ing variety than the medium green,
but does not produce quite as much
forage to the acre nor quite as many
meas under the same conditions
Among the other varieties are the
medium yellow and the medium
early black, but these are not as gen
orally grown as the ones mentioned
above.
If YOU expect to grow soy beans for
seed. the best success can be obtained
nv drilling in rows from twenty-eight
to thirty inches apart. This will re-
ouire about half bushel OF seed 10
the acre: when drilled twanty-fcar
inches apart, three-ouarters Ct
bushel of seed and, when drilled with
the ordinary grain drill, seven or eight
inches apart. it will require about two
bushels of seed to the acre. When
drilled as close as seven or eight
inches the hay produced is of better
quality, not being so coarse as when
the rows are wider. From the stand
point of the production of forage,
there is not a great deal of difference
in the yield per acre, whether the
rows are drilled eight inches apart or
twenty-four.
There may be some trouble in cur
ing soy bean hay, but if 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 if the
seed bed is thoroughly prepared. This
plant is a shallow feeder, and thus will
do better in fields that have been
thoroughly cultivated than it will
under ordinary conditions.
Speaking OF alfalfa for pasture, Will
say that alfalfa sowed this spring
should not be pastured before at least
on from, +bic Cunarpar and Dre-