REPORT OF THE AGRICULTLRIST. 91 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Rolling $0 05 



Seed, 3 pounds at 20 cenlb 60 



Sowing, 1 hour 12J 



Hand-wheel hoeing, 2i hnurs 33 



Thinning, 9 hours 1 13 



Hoeing, 6 hours 75 



Cultivating, single horse, (! hours at 17^ cents 1 05 



Ploughing out roots, 1 hour 25 



Pulling and topping, 10 hours 1 25 



Drawing in roots, 2^ hours 63 



Loading and tinloading, 8 hours 1 00 



$9 97 

 Yield on one-quarter acre, 10,660 pounds. 



Cost of producing 1 ton $1 87 



• Cost of producing 1 bushel 5 61 cts. 



Digestible dry matter in 1 ton, 375 pounds. 



Cost of 100 pounds of digestible dry mettev 50 cts. 



RAPE (Brassica Napus). 



As the question of cheap pork production assumes greater proportions in view of 

 our rapidly growing bacon trade, forage plants peculiarly suited for pigs must cer- 

 tainly come to the front. It is well known that the pig thrives on grass or green feed 

 alone, but the importance and necessity of feeding him on such is very often over- 

 looked. Another consideration frequently neglected is the comparative value of dif- 

 ferent forage plants for the end in view. The conditions governing the feeding opera- 

 tions, however, enter into this matter, and frequently such crops as can be most con- 

 veniently produced or utilized must take precedence over others better adapted to the 

 end in view. 



Of the various crops more or less extensively cultivated for pig feed during the 

 I>ast two years, none other has given quite such satisfactory results as rape. The 

 variety best suited for forage is Dwarf Essex, 



During the past year about 4i acres have been under rape. The plots have been 

 cultivated as follows : — 



Plot 1. — This plot, li acres in extent, was a slightly loamy sand. It was manured 

 15 tons to the acre in May, and the rape sown in drills 30 inches apart on May 19. 

 This crop grew very rapidly and yielded in August 28 tons green fodder to the acre. 

 A second crop grew up and gave about 3 tons to the acre. 



Plot 2. — This plot, \\ acres in area, was a good loam. It was manured 12 tons 

 to the acre in June and sown in drills 30 inches apart, June 16. In August it cut 

 22 tons to the acre, and the land was then ploughed. 



Plot S. — This plot, i acre in area, was sown broadcast on June 18. 



The plot had been used as a pig pasture the preceding summer, so no manure 

 was necessary. This plot was used as a pasture for store pigs. 



Plot J^. — This plot, three-sixteenths of an acre in area, was sown in drills 30 inches 

 apart. It was used as pasture for pigs. 



Plot 5. — This plot, 1^ acres in area, was sown on sod, ploughed July 16. ^o 

 m;anure was added, but the best seed bed possible under the circumstances was pre- 



