lo Feb., 1911-] Rafe. 89 



humus to the soil. It may be sown from immediately after the first 

 autumn rains until the end of September. In the summer time, it seems 

 to do better in the cooler districts than in the northern areas, whereas 

 it grows more luxuriantly in the warmer zones during the winter. If 

 sown after the early autumn rains, it will give abundance of luscious feed 

 during the winter months, and when sown about September it can be fed 

 right into the summer. 



On account of the smallness of the seed, the seed-bed requires to be 

 worked to a fine tilth. It should be sown broadcast and then rolled or 

 brush-harrowed, care being taken not to cover the seed too deeply or 

 else it will not germinate. The variety known as Dwarf Essex appears 

 to give the best results, and certainly commands a better price per lb. 

 if grown for market, as Mr. Henry is doing with his crop. It is usual 

 to sow the seed at the rate of 4 lbs. per acre. For the purpose of 

 preventing stock from bloating, it is always advisable to mix i lb. of 

 white mustard seed with that of the rape. Animals should never be 

 turned into rape or any other quickly growing fodder, when they are 

 empty and hungry, otherwise bloating will result. Its habit of growth 

 bears some resemblance to the swede turnip, but it attains a much greater 

 height. It is mostly grown for the purposes of feeding off by stock or 

 fed as a soiling cro[). The milk of cows fed on rape is apt to be 

 slightly flavoured. 



Green crops, such as rape and those of the leguminous family, are 

 often grown for the special purpose of being incorporated with the soil 

 whilst in their fresh state. The practical farmer who is situated so as 

 to ol)tain a green crop of this kind will have little difficulty in deter- 

 mining which one is best ada[)ted to local conditions. Upon strong clay 

 country whicli has been fallowed, if worked sufficiently early, the rape 

 crop can be eaten off with sheep and tlrti ploughed in. This will not 

 only furnish the succeeding wheat croj) with usi-ful food, but will tend 

 to improve the texture of the heavy soil. 



In addition to the fertilizing matter. ra])e possesses a marked physical 

 influence. In a strong clay .soil, warmth is given by the root system 

 opening up the soil particles, whereas, in a light and friable soil, where 

 the furrow is properlv packed, firmness is imparted by the aid of the 

 fibrous roots. Without a previous cnjp of rape or some leguminous plant 

 many soils throughout Victoria are much too light to grow wheat success- 

 fully. This fact alone should be sufficient to demonstrate the value of 

 rape growing in crop rotation and its restorative effect on the soil. 



It is grown by many farmers as an excellent crop for cleaning land 

 of weeds. If not eaten too bare, its broad foliage and habit of growth 

 .smother the weeds. When .sown for the purpose of cleaning a paddock 

 it should bo drilled in 2 feet apart, at the rate of from i to 2 lbs. per 

 acre, .so that the land can be inter-tilled during the growing period. 



Rape grows luxmiantlv on good soils and responds quickly to liberal 

 manuring. It should receive more attention thai\ it does at present as 

 a catch crop in the large wheat areas. Thousands of ewes and lambs 

 could 1)0 iirofitably turned off these anas if the land were top-dressed 

 with inanun- inimodiatelv after tlie harvesting of the crop and well worked 

 into the .soil with a .scarifier or disc harrow, and about 2 lbs of rape 

 seed broadcasted p<'r acre after the first downfall of rain. This would 

 be the means of supplving an abundance of succulent feed for topping 

 off lambs for fiie freezing works and at the same time go a long way 

 towards imi)rf)ving ili.- fcrtilitv r^f the rr»untrv. 



