154 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



given an abundance of green rape calves or colts will 

 grow very quickly and will also improve in flesh. It 

 makes a grand food for sheep being fitted for 

 the fairs, for weaned lambs that are wanted in good 

 form for early selling, and for lambs that must needs 

 be confined to avoid infection from parasites on cer- 

 tain pastures. When fed as soiling food, the feeding 

 can be so regulated that the element from bloating 

 will be completely eliminated. Rape is also possessed 

 of peculiar value when fed as soiling food to swine. 

 When so fed a large saving is effected in grain food, 

 development is more continuous, and the vigor of the 

 animals is better sustained. 



The rape plant is oftener pastured than cut and 

 fed as soiling food, frequently it will be more advan- 

 tageous to use it in the latter form. There is really 

 no limit to the extent to which this plant may be 

 used other than that which is fixed by the desires of 

 the owner. 



CABBAGE. 



Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is probably seldom 

 grown for the express purpose of providing suste- 

 nance for live stock. In nearly all instances crops of 

 this plant are grown to provide food for the human 

 family. Yet in certain areas it may be grown with 

 much advantage to furnish soiling food for various 

 classes of live stock. Because of the great power 

 which the mature plants have to withstand frost, 

 they will furnish green food at a season of the year 

 when it can seldom be obtained from any other 

 source outside of the silo. By exercising some care 

 and forethought in storing cabbage, as described 



