The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1912-07-25
GROWING RAPE.
Reply to Nathan Ringer, Grover
Hill, Ohio.

"How is rape as cattle feed Tor
mich COWS, and what time is cest to
SOW? How are soy beans for cattle,
and what Il the time to SOW here!
Would like to know if alfalfa makes
good pasture II sowed for milch COWS
as the clover is all frozen out here this
spring"
Rape is best adapted to cool cL-
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 nor'A
into Canada. 1t does best and de-
yelops the most rapidly on rich. moist
loamy soils. although it will do fa!riy
well on light, sandy soils If they are IN
a good state of cultivation. Rape is
very heavy feeder, and requires great
deal of moisture. It also utltiZes
considerable amout Of nitrogen as
well as mineral plant food elements.
It requires practically the same plant
feed as corn, in very nearly the same
porportions, aad 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 4. This method is not
generally followed. but gives very sooo
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 following an early crop. or IN the
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
davs after sowing. We have known
OF instances where it would AFFORD
good pasture six weeks after planting
but this is unusual.
Rape has very high feeding value
and IS considered an excellent feed FOR
rattening sheep and swine. 1t greatly
increases the fiow Of milk from mllch
cows. Some farmers object to 1t be-
cause they claim it taints the milk.
To overcome this objection. 1t Is well
to feed rape after milking. 1t is 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 Is to use rape as a soiling
crop.
In several states they have expert
mented with mixing rape with oats or
wheat. and have succeeded very well.
In Iowa pound Of rape was scweo
ner acre about ten days after seeding
the oats. The rape interfered to
some extent in harvesting the oats.
Int probably would not have caused
any trouble If 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 Win
the small grain
Speaking of the use OF soy beans,
will say that this cron is crown VERY
successfully in parts of Ohio. and ranks
very close to clovers and alfalfa Tor
hay 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 locali-
ties The Ito San is a quicker matur-
ing variety than the medium green.
but does not produce quite as much
forage to the acre nor quite as many
peas 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
by drilling in rows from twenty-eight
to thirty inches apart This will re-
cuire about a 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, it will require about two
bushels of seed to the acre. Wnen
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
There may be some trouble in cur
ng soy bean hay, but if the weather
conditions are favorable. there need
De no loss while curing. Soy beans as
!, crop do very web in ordinary soils,
,ut will respond much better II the
seed bed is thoroughly prepared. This
,lant is a shallow feeder, and thus will
10 better in fields that have been
cultivated than it will
,nder ordinary conditions.
Speaking Of alfalfa for pastu'e. viii
;ay that alfalfa sowed this spring
should not be pastured before at least
year from this summer, and pre-
erably year from next fall, so you
.annot hope for any pasture from
.lfalfa this coming season. For pas
ure under the condition YOU give. the
Of rape or some OF the cereals
ombined with rape, is probably about
IS GOOD a thing as you can figure
N at this time.
Deep cultivation Of corn IS not in
nv way an insurance that the yield
sill be good; in fact, after the first
cultivation deep tillage is injurious to
orn. The feeding roots as usual
hing lie very close to the surface and
Ieep cultivation Injuries and teals