The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-05-14

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agricultural
Because 1t is a useful crop for both
his stock and his own family. the
farmer will find that it will pa, him
to give more attention to rape than it
usually receives. AS human food,
when it is often known as smooth or
spring kale, it is quite as good as
kale or collards and may be prepared
in the same way. AS a feed for hogs.
sheep, COWS mt chickens, it is the
most important plant of the cabbage
family. The seed is also cheap. re-
failing usually at about ten cents a
pound.
The most common use of rape is as
a pasture crop for hogs or sheep.
Many animals do not like rape at first,
but will eat it readily after they have
acquired the taste. A liberal supply
OF salt will tend to prevent the purging
which rape often produces. With hogs
there is no danger from bloating. With
cattle, however, this danger does ex-
list to some extent and it is well, there
fore. to avoid p%asturing them on pure
rape. If a supply of hay or straw
Is kept convenient, the animals will
instinctively turn to that when they
begin to bloat, and when cattle can
pass readily from rape to grass pas
ture, cases of bloating are rare. Un-
der any circumstances, however, cattle
should not be turned into a rape pas
ture when 1t Is we with dew or rain.
or when they are very hungry.
Cattle eat rape readily but destroy
considerable by trampling, especially
where the rape is broadcasted. In
broad rows h damage is less, for the
animals usually walk between the
1--WE When and stall fed, rape
should be given to dairy COWS just
after milking; otherwise it may faint
the milk.
AS a feed for all kinds of poultry
rape is also excellent.
Time of Seeding.
Rape is a cool-season crop, and in
the South should, therefore, be planted
in the fall Or in YER early spring. The
crop is not injured by ordinary win
tiers in the South, but of course the
growth is slow in cold weather. In
the fall MS best seeded from August
Is to October Is. Later seeding is
scarcely advisable, except neal the
Gulf coast and in Florida. In the
spring it should be seeded just as
early as danger of freezes is past. The
earlier seedlings nearly always give
the largest yields, as growth is
checked when very warm weather &C.
ours. In summer the plant becomes
much less palatable.
Practically only one variety-the
dwarf Essex-is grown in the United
States.
Rape is a ~succulent, nutritious plant
closely related to kale, collards and
cabbage, and requires essentially the
same conditions of culture as these
crops. The plants grow to a height
of IL to four feet, depending on con-
ditions of soil and climate.
Rape succeeds best in rich loan
soils, but profitable crops are grown
on sandy and on clayey soils. An
abundant moisture supply is necessary
to produce large yields. Good prepare
ton of the seed bed is advisable. Barn
yard manure is the best fertilizer. In
the absence of this. 400 to 600 pounds
per acre of a complete commercial
fertilizer may be used.
When rape is planted in wide rows
1t should be given three or foul cul-
%tivations during it's early growth.
After cutting the first crop a second
growth is often obtained. especially
II the stubble is cultivated.
Method of Seeding.
Rape may be sown in cultivated
rows, in narrow drill rows, or broad
casted. If planted in rows these should
ordinarily be "a to 80 inches apart
In rows % inches wide, which is the
hest width. two pounds of seed pc,
acre are sufficient.
If drilled with a grain drill foul
poundsso f seed per acre are required
When broadcasted five or six pounds
per acre should be used.
Rape may be successfully GROVE
with certain other crops. Thus it maj
be sown In early spring In oats, wheat
or rye, and usually a good stand is
secured after the grain crop is cut
It may also be sown mixed with clio
yer. to be used as pasture. or between
the rows in some winter-killed croE
for late fall pasture.