FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 475 



HED CLOVKK OH ALFALFA. 



On lands arlapted to alfalfa it will undoubtedly prove to be better 

 for hogs than red clover, inasmuch as it will produce a larger quantity 

 of feed of a somewhat higher value. Inasmuch as we have not yet 

 learned to grow alfalfa sucessfully on the majority of our upland clay 

 soils, we shall be forced to rely chiefly upon clover. It starts earlier in 

 the spring than any hog pasture we have excepting alfalfa, and would 

 therefore be used first, and should be used as long as it is succulent and 

 palatable. Usually not later than the middle of June the crop will have 

 become so mature that the hogs will relish a change for the time being, 

 and the surplus clover should be cut and removed so as to allow the 

 second or fall crop to start promptly. 



This crop should be sown as early in the spring as the ground will 

 work. The richer the land the better. An old feed lot, or land that has 

 been heavily manured should be selected and broken in the fall if pos- 

 sible, so that only the surface will need to be worked in the spring. Sow 

 in rows about thirty to thirty-six inches apart, using about three pounds 

 of seed per acre, and cultivate level and shallow once or twice, or as 

 often as is necessary to keep the weeds down. Each time the rape is 

 eaten down it should be given a cultivation to facilitate its starting into 

 growth again. By sowing broadcast the rape will not produce anything 

 like as much as when grown in rows but will be somewhat more pala- 

 table. At the Experiment Station almost twice as large a yield has been 

 uniformly obtained from growing it in rows than from broadcasting. If 

 sown broadcast, about five pounds of seed are required per acre, cov- 

 ered with a smoothing harrow. One of the secrets of success in growing 

 rape in this climate is to get the seed in early. A frost or even a light 

 freeze when the young plants are coming up will not hurt them. By 

 the middle of May the rape is large enough to turn on, and it may be 

 pastured at any time after that. If the green lice or cabbage worms 

 attack the rape in any considerable quantities, it is essential to pasture 

 it hard at once to prevent their destroying the crop. Severe pasturing 

 is a complete remedy for these insects. By the time the clover has been 

 pastured down the rape will be ready for the hogs. 



It should be borne in mind that in changing from clover to rape we 

 are changing to a less nutritious food, as shown by the experiments al- 

 ready referred to and it will be necessary to increase somewhat at this 

 point the amount of corn the hogs are getting. 



It is well to emphasize the fact in passing that it will pay to give the 

 hogs some corn throughout the season no matter what sort of pasture 

 is provided as nothing has been more clearly demonstrated than that the 

 great profit in hog production lies in keeping them growing rapidly and in 

 finishing them off young. 



In the ordinary season a large area of rape will not be required. 

 Two acres will carry thirty one hundred pound hogs for a month or six 

 weeks in the first crop and will in seasonable weather recuperate in less 



