The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-04-17
THE REVIEWS SPECIAL
FARM NEWS DEPARTMENT
John H. D. Gray
IEDlTOR
Live News About Crawford County Farms
and Farmers
SOW RAPE FOR HOG PASTURE

SOW RAPE FOR HOG PASTURE
Rex Beresford and E. L. Qaife, of
Iowa State college contribute the fol-
lowing:
Rape is Cheap Pork Maker-An
acre of rape will carry from Is to 30
pigs from the middle of June until
late fall. Rape grows rapidly, stands
grazing we'll, helps keep the pigs thrift
" and free from parasites and pushes
them along to early market. 1t fur
nishes large amounts Of rich, succu-
lent feed, especially suited to feeding
with corn.
Good rape pasture often adds one
fourth or even one third to the pork
producing power OF the corn fed with
it in comparison to corn fed alone,
or on blue grass.
Rape Likes Rich Land-Good corn
land will grow good rape. 1t does
best. however, on rather heavy soil,
with plenty of moisture. 1t may be
seeded to advantage in old feed lots
or yards which otherwise would grow
little but weeds. Rape likes firm
seed bed, fine on top, such as is best
for small grains. Dwarf Essex IS the
only satisfactory variety. European
grown seed is considered best, but
seed grown in Japan Is more plentiful
and has given satisfactory results.
How to Seed-Seeded as early. as
the condition of the soil will permit.
rape should be ready for pasture early
in June. Four or five pounds OF seed
to the acre where drilled, or six or
seven where broadcasted is enough.
Seeded alone, 1t usually gives the best
results for summer pasture. However
a good many claim success with three
or four pecks OF oats per acre with
the rape.
Three or four pounds of rape broad.
casted in small grain fields two or
three weeks after the grain is sown
often will make large amounts OF sue
culent feed for hogs or sheep in the
stubble field after harvest. This will
not often materially interfere with the
grain crop, though very early seeded
rape does sometimes cause trouble
at harvest time.
Rape may be broadcasted in corn
three or four pounds to the acre at the
time of the last cultivation. Or 1t
NAV be drilled" in from tin can
with a hole punched in the bottom
and swung from one gang Of the corn
plow.
When to Pasture-The rape should
be at least eight and better ten inches
high before grazing, though small
.gs may be turned in bit earlier
Where two lots are provided so that
they may be pastured alternately, too
close pasturing and resulting loss OF
stand is avoided
Feed Some Grain With Rape-Self
feeding ON corn and q protein supple
ment such as tankage on rape pasture
is good practice where the largest
possible gains are desired. However.
where grain is scarce the pigs will
do we'll on about two pounds OF grain
per day for each 100 pounds of live
weight Of hogs. Fed in this way, the
hogs will make the greatest possible
use of the rape.
Hopkinton Leader: Speaking OF the
retired farmer and his ability to go
back to the farm and take the place Of
the hired man or the son gone to war;
of course he can help. But In most
instances the farmer retired after his
years Of strenuous toll, and when his
efficiency as a day worker was about
exhausted, with hope OF enjoying
few, years of rest before the last call.
The retired farmers brain power is
doubtless as good as ever, but his
muscle power is minus quantity.
The retired farmer is not the solution
of the labor shortage. 1t lies in the
boy Of II years of age and upward,
and even though they are town bred.
If they have the gumption Of louise
and q modicum Of intelligence, they
can learn the job under competent in.
struction. The young bucks in the
newspaper business and in the agri-
cultural departments find it easy to
advise the old men to 60 back to the
farms, but they have not yet reached
the age that realizes there is a limit
to human machinery. They will know
It in good time. even IN editorial Of
fees. Nevertheless, we know of few
instances of retired farmers who are
doing their best out on the farms, but
their best is not a full mans work.
Turn the batteries of advice on the
boys who are just aching to do some
thing for their country.
-. %
august McSSCNUElnA Is lOCdtctl oHC
AMI half miles south of Denison. He
operates an eighty acre farm Of his
own and in addition farms a small
slice of rented land. Last fall he
filled a. silo for the first time on his
farm. He has fourteen head of high
grade Ho,stein cows and young pure
bred Holstein bull. These cattle have
not been fed grain since last fall.
They have been fed silage and good
clover or alfalfa hay and they are in
much better condition than many cows
i have seen this spring which were
fed grain. but no silage, during the
winter. Mr.. Messenbrink has nice
bunch Of cows, they have all passed
the tubercular test. He sells all the
milk to Frank Barrett and Mr.. Barrett
places it in bottles and sells it in the
town of Denison.
7 saw the following statement re-
Gently THE farm wealth per capita
in Iowa is 1886. The combined farm
wealth per capita Of Alabama. Louisi-
ana, Mississippi. Florida. North Caro-.
lima. Arkansas, Georgia. Tennessee and