56 



agents on the Pacific coast (see Plate VIII, fig. 1) were distributed by 

 this division during the fiscal year 1898-99. 



Only 4 reports have been received from experimenters along the 

 Atlantic coast. In 2 cases the seeds failed to germinate and the others 

 secured a fair stand of plants from 6 inches to 1 foot high. Further 

 experimentation is necessary before we will be able to state the value 

 of this grass to the Atlantic coast and the lake regions of the interior. 



MISCELLANEOUS FORAGE PLANTS. 



DWARF ESSEX RAPE (Brassica napus).' 



(Plate IX, figs. 1 and 2.) 



A succulent, nutritious biennial forage plant with large, glaucous, 

 smooth, spreading leaves, which has been widely cultivated in the 

 northern United States and Canada. Its area of usefulness, however, 

 might be made to extend more largely to the West and Northwest, as 

 there are many places it may occupy in the rotation of crops on the 

 farm. By the use of irrigation excellent crops of rape can be grown 

 in the semiarid regions, and recent reports indicate that it will with- 

 stand quite severe drought if well cultivated. It makes an excellent 

 feed for fattening sheep and is a valuable food for young lambs at 

 weaning time. Rape will endure quite severe cold weather, and 

 sheep can be pastured on it late into the winter, until the snow covers 

 it up. Animals should not be turned into the rape pastures when the 

 leaves are wet, for fear of bloating, and they have been found to do 

 better when they have access to an open grass pasture as well as to the 

 rape. There are several varieties of rape, but the Dwarf Essex is the 

 most widely cultivated. Under average conditions a yield of from 10 

 to 20 tons or more per acre may be expected, although much heavier 

 yields have been recorded. Mr. W. H. Heideman, of Kalispell, 

 Flathead County, Mont., has had wonderful success with this plant 

 for several years. He regards it as one of the greatest forage plants 

 known. He cut it three times the first season for feed, and the second 

 season secured a fine yield of first-class seed. The illustration (Plate IX, 

 fig. 1) represents a single plant grown by him from his own seed. 



Sixty-one small packages of the seed of this variety were distributed 

 in the spring of 1899, but so far only 12 reports have been received 

 from the experimenters, with 2 failures, 2 unsatisfactory, 2 good, and 6 

 excellent reports. 



The following are some of the reports received from different 

 States: 



Mr. Thomas Ashcroft, Ashcroft, Harding Count}^, S. Dak. : 



The seed was sown broadcast in June as soon as the land could be plowed, and 

 then harrowed down before it dried hard. The land was not cultivated in any way 



'For full discussion of "Rape as a forage plant" see Circular No. 12, Division of 

 Agrostology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



