374 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The rape crop, its growth and value for soiling and fattening 

 sheep and swine, J. A. Craig- ( Wisconsin Sta. Bui. 58, pp. 16, Jigs. 

 9). — The culture of rape is treated of briefly, and general directions 

 are given for feeding rape to lambs based on the results of a number 

 of years' experiments at the station. 



"The results of our experiments in fattening lambs on rape show that the average 

 gain per head weekly has been 2A- lbs. About 1 lb. of grain per head daily has been 

 the average amount fed with the rape. Using our results in a conservative way, it 

 may be said that if 40 lambs are fed oft" an acre of rape and given some pasture and 

 an average of 1 lb. of grain per head daily they will produce at least 400 lbs. of mut- 

 ton from the acre in 1 month." 



Two tests of feeding rape to pigs are briefly reported. The first 

 trial was made with 2 lots of 10 pigs each. One lot was fed in a pen 

 a grain ration of corn and shorts, 2 : 1. The corn was soaked and 

 mixed with bran in a slop. The other lot received^ a less amount of 

 the same grain ration and in addition were allowed the run of a thirty- 

 two-hundredth s-acre field of rape. In 76 days the 10 pigs on rape 

 consumed 1,386 lbs. of corn and 690 lbs. of shorts and gained 853 lbs. 

 The lot fed in a pen consumed 2,096 lbs. of corn and 1,012 lbs. of 

 shorts and gained 857 lbs. The gains were practically the same in 

 each case. In other words, the rape grown on thirty-two-hundredths 

 of an acre was equivalent to 1,062 lbs. of grain. 



The second trial was made with 2 lots of 19 pigs each. The grain 

 ration and the experimental conditions were the same as before. The 

 lot on rape had the run of six-tenths of an acre. In 49 days 

 this lot consumed 2,220.3 lbs. of corn and 1,109 lbs. of shorts and 

 gained 1,066 lbs. The lot fed grain only consumed 3,106.5 lbs. of corn 

 and 1,553 lbs. of shorts and gained 1,076 lbs. In this trial also the 

 gains of the 2 lots were practically the same. The rape from six- tenths 

 of an acre was equivalent to 2,217 lbs. of grain. Taking the average 

 of the two trials, 1 acre of rape was equivalent to 2,767 lbs. of the 

 grains fed. 



"At various times we have tried feeding pigs on rape and it has always been sat- 

 isfactory, though it would sometimes be necessary to restrict the other feed until 

 the pigs became acquainted with the taste of the plant. . . . 



"The 2 trials . . . indicate that this crop is likely to prove as valuable for swine 

 feeding as it is for sheep. There is less risk in feeding it to swine, as they do not 

 bloat on it nor scour if fed properly. It gives every promise of proving an excel- 

 lent crop for pasturing brood sows and young pigs. . . . Rape seems specially val- 

 uable for swine feeding during the hot summer months because of its succulence 

 and the relish of swine for it, and for these reasons we would urge our swine breed- 

 ers and feeders to try it on a small scale for this purpose." 



Feeding experiments with pigs, J. B. Lindsey, E. B. Holland, 

 and G. A. Billings (Massachusetts Hatch Sta. Rpt. 1896, pp. 126-134).— 

 Two experiments are reported, to test the comparative value of rice 

 meal and corn meal and of oat feed and corn meal for pigs. 



Bice meal vs. corn meal (pp. 226-230). — This test, which began Decem- 

 ber 12 and lasted 4 months, was made with 6 Chester White pigs from 

 the same litter, divided into 2 equal lots. The pigs were about 1£ 



I 



