The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-07-18
GROWING RAPE.
Reply 20 Nathan Ringer, Grover
Hill, Ohio.


sow? How are soy beans for cattle
and what Is the time to sow here!
Would like to know IL alfalfa makes a
good pasture II sowed for milch cows
as the clover is all frozen out here this
spring"
Rape Is best adapted to cool ell
mates, but still does exceptionally well
In very wide range Of latitude. II
has been grown successfully In parts
of Mississippi, and all the way north
into Canada. IL does best and de-
velops the most rapidly on rich, moist,
ioamy soils, although it will do fairly
well on light sandy soils If they are In
good state of cultivation. Rape is Z
very heavy feeder, and requires great
deal OF moisture. 1t also utilizes a
considerable amout of nitrogen as
well as mineral plant food elements.
1t requires practically the same plant
feed as corn, in very nearly the came
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, 1t 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 it in rows
and cultivate 1t. 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 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
days 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
fattening sheep and swine. 1t greatly
increases the now of milk from mich
cows. Some farmers object to it be-
cause they claim 1t taints the milk.
To overcome this objection, 1t is well
to feed rape after milking. 1t is a
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 we'll.
In Iowa a 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 il II had been sowed three
weeks after the oats were planted. II
the land is very poor, 1t probably
would be best to SOW the rape with
the small grain.
Speaking of the use OF soy beans,
win say that this crop is grown very
successfully In parts Of Ohio, and ranks
very close to clovers and alfalfa for
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 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.
II 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-
uuire about 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. 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 IL the
seed bed is thoroughly prepared. This
plant Is 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
a year from this summer, and pre-
ferably a year from next fall, so you
cannot hope for any pasture from
alfalfa this coming season. For pas
ture under the condition you give, the
growing of rape or some of the cereals
combined with rape, is probably about
as good a thing as you can figure
fbio time