312 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



Dwarf Essex rape, grown on rich soils in all the states 

 and in all* the provinces of Canada, is sown alone, broad- 

 cast, or in rows and cultivated, along with the small cereal 

 grains, or in the last cultivation given to corn. After the 

 grain and corn respectively are harvested, the rape pro- 

 vides abundant food according to the soil. It may be 

 grazed by any kind of stock, except cows in milk, and these 

 also may be grazed upon it for a short time after one or 

 both daily milkings, but if allowed to remain on it long, the 

 milk will be tainted. The plants may be grazed as soon as 

 they will furnish much feed and will grow again, but the 

 largest amount of grazing will be obtained, as a rule, 

 when growth in the plants is nearly completed before the 

 pasturing begins. 



The rape plant is greatly relished by cattle, sheep, 

 swine and horses. It is excellent for producing growth, 

 fat, and also milk. These properties, along with its pro- 

 ductiveness and wide adaptation, make it the most valuable 

 fodder plant that has come into, general use in this country 

 during recent years. It furnishes excellent grazing for 

 calves and older cattle, but the latter, when feeding on it, 

 cause considerable waste through treading down the 

 plants. For fattening sheep, no grazing is equal to it. It 

 may be made to furnish good grazing for swine through 

 all the growing season, except during the first six or eight 

 weeks of growth subsequently to the "opening of spring. 

 Horses are fond of rape but, like heavy cattle, they injure 

 it by treading. It furnishes food too succulent for horses 

 at work. 



Cattle or sheep should never be turned in to graze 

 on rape while hungry, lest they should take harm through 

 bloating. The aim should be, when either are grazed 

 on it, to have a well-grown pasture at all times accessible, 

 as this supplemented by a plentiful supply of salt, tends 

 materially to prevent and also to lessen scouring. When 



