A PASTURE HANDBOOK 39 



SMALL GRAINS 



Small grains such as rye, oats, barley, and wheat, are reUshed by all 

 kinds of livestock, and since seed is usually available on the farm it is 

 convenient and inexpensive to provide additional pasturage in this 

 way. In the winter-wheat belt a month of excellent grazing is often 

 afforded in late faU or early winter by the regular wheat seedings. In 

 many cases where the fall growth is abundant a reasonable amount of 

 grazing often increases rather than diminishes the grain yield. The 

 double cropping of land to lespedeza and some small grain has been 

 explained under lespedeza. This small grain may be grazed if pasture 

 rather than a grain crop is needed. Grazing results in no injury to the 

 lespedeza unless the animals are allowed on the field when the ground 

 is too wet. It may be necessary to remove the animals for a short time 

 in the spring after the grain crop has been consumed, to allow the 

 lespedeza to get started. 



Locally adapted varieties of these small grains should be used ia all 

 cases. In the southern half of section 1-b and in region 2 Abruzzes 

 rye is much preferred to the ordinary kinds. Barley, although not 

 grazed as much as oats and rye, is well suited for use as a grazing crop. 

 Heavy seeding of aU these small grains at a rate at least twdce that 

 customary in seeding for grain production is a profitable practice. A 

 thick stand produces a heavy turf wliich protects the soil better from 

 trampling in wet weather and also provides a greater quantity of 

 feed. Outside of the spring- wheat belt early -faU seeding is recom- 

 mended to provide fall grazing. 



CRIMSON CLOVER 



Crimson clover is especially valuable for supplemental grazing in 

 late winter and early spring. Under favorable conditions it may be 

 grazed more or less all wdnter and by March can be heavily grazed. 

 Crimson clover is commonly seeded for soil improvement, but a great 

 deal of early grazing can be taken without loss of its value as a green- 

 manure crop. It is most successful along the Atlantic seaboard from 

 New Jersey south, but also does fairly well in many places south of the 

 Ohio River and as far west as Kansas, 



RAPE 



Rape, a plant closely related to kale, is useful as a supplementary 

 pasture, being almost equal to alfalfa as a grazing crop for hogs. 

 Cattle and sheep also make good gains on rape pasture, though there 

 is some danger of bloating. Dwarf Essex is the variety usually sown. 



Rape is not adapted to poor land. It should be sown on productive 

 soU from late March to the middle of July in the North and from 

 August 15 to October 15 in the South. It is ordinarily ready to graze 

 in 7 to 10 weeks or when 12 inches high. The seed may be broadcast 

 and covered lightly with a harrow, or it may be sown with a grain drill. 

 Four to eight pounds of seed per acre are recommended. It is some- 

 times sown at the rate of 2 to 3 pounds per acre in rows 18 to 40 inches 

 apart to permit cultivation. 



In pasturing rape, it is advisable to divide the field with temporary 

 fences to permit of moving the animals progressively to ungrazed 

 portions or to graze two fields alternately. 



