REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST 291 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



RAPE FOR SHEEP. 



The use of rape as a pasture for sheep and lambs cannot be too highly com- 

 mended. There are, however, two or three dangers to be guarded against. In the 

 first place, care must be taken that the sheep do not enter the rape when very hungry, 

 especially is there danger in this when the leaves are for any reason wet. The effect 

 to be feared is ' bloating.' 



Eape is, as indicated in the report for 1900, very rich in protein, much richer 

 than most other forage plants, as the proportion of protein to carbo-hydrates is at>out 

 1 to 1:8. This is much too great a proportion of protein, and where sheep, or more 

 particularly, lambs are confined to this feed they soon show signs of some injurious 

 influence at work. A sleepiness is first observed, which later is followed by a weak- 

 ness of the limbs and the sudden falling of the animal. It is, then, very difficult 

 indeed to put them in good condition again. Of course, it is easy to avoid this trouble 

 by letting the lambs have another pasture part of the day. For such a purpose a hill 

 pasture or some pasture carrying but little clover is to be preferred. 



SWINE. 



There are on the farm at present four herds of pure-bred swine. They are made 

 up as follows : — 



BerJcshires : — 



1 boar (imp., 1901), 8 months old. 

 1 boar, ' Bobby,' 6 months old. 



1 sow (imp., 1901), 1 year old. 



2 sows, lh years old. 



Large Improved Yorkshires : — 

 1 boar, l£ years old. 

 5 sows, 1J to 3 years old. 

 1 sow (imp., 1901), 1 year old. 

 1 sow, 9 months old. 



Tamworths : — 



1 boar, 'Hero/ 15 months old. 



2 sows, 2' years old. 



1 sow (imp., 1901), 1 year old. 



Large Blacks : — 



2 boars (imp., 1901), months old. 

 2 sows (imp., 1901), G months old. 



The imported pigs were secured from the most famous herds in England. The 

 Yorkshire sow came from Sanders Spencer, Esq., St. Ives, Hunts ; the Berkshires, 

 from Philo L. Mills, Esq., Kuddington Manor, Notts ; the Tamworth, from D. W. 

 Phillips, Esq., The Ashes, Whiteacre, Birmingham. 



The large Blacks seem to be slowly coming into prominence in England. The indi- 

 viduals are of the bacon type, but rather coarse. Some experimental work will be 

 done with them here to test their value as an addition to our bacon breeds. An effort 

 will be made to determine their value for crossing with some of the other breeds of 

 pigs. 



The breeding pigs during the past year have done only fairly well. The spring 

 litters were rather late, which, of course, influenced the date of the fall litters. 



During the season about 40 pigs have been sold 'for breeding purposes, and the 

 rest of the young pigs sold for pork. 



16—19* 



