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THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



to which it is closely related. Under cultivation it grows from 

 1.5 to 4 feet high, has large, variously divided smooth leaves 

 borne on stems; flowers nearly 0.5 inch in diameter, yellow; 

 seeds resembling those of cabbage and turnip but larger. 



There are two types of rape: (i) annual or summer rape, 

 sometimes known as bird seed rape, and (2) biennial or so- 

 called winter rape. 

 Summer rape is grown 

 extensively in Europe 

 for seed, which yields 

 33 per cent, of ex- 

 pressed oil used for lu- 

 bricating and lighting, 

 and rape seed cake 

 highly valued for stock 

 feedin S and fertilizer, 

 it is winter rape that 

 is used for forage in 

 America. The most 

 widely cultivated vari- 

 ety of this type is the 

 Dwarf Essex. Seed of 

 winter rape can be 

 grown only where the 



plants will survive the winter. This occurs on the Pacific coast, 

 where a yield of 1,000 pounds of seed per acre is said not to be 

 unusual. 1 Ordinarily, however, seed is secured from Europe. 

 The necessity of annually purchasing seed tends to prevent its 

 use, although one of the strong points in favor of the growing 

 of rape is the cheapness and small quantity of seed required : 

 3 to 5 pounds per acre are sufficient. 



375. Adaptation and Cultivation, Rape has a climatic and 

 soil adaptation similar to cabbage, turnips, and rutabagas, 



The rape plant 

 (After Hitchcock) 



. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. No. 164, p. 10. 



