ROOT CROPS AND OTHER COMPARABLE FORAGES 589 



These results agree with those obtained by many other 

 experimenters ; namely, that where corn or sorghum will 

 grow well, they will produce larger yields of dry matter 

 than root crops. 



RAPE (Brassica napus) 



702. Rape is a native of temperate Europe. The wild 

 plant is an annual, but the cultivated form may be either 

 annual or biennial. The former is grown only for the 

 seed, from which oil is extracted; and the latter mainly 

 for forage. Like the other . Brassicas it is best adapted 

 to a cool growing season, and for heavy yields rich, moist 

 soil is required. 



There are several varieties of rape, but the Dwarf 

 Essex is practically the only one grown for forage. An- 

 other variety, the Dwarf Victoria, is nearly as good, but 

 in long-continued trials at the Ontario Agricultural Col- 

 lege proved somewhat inferior. 



703. Importance. Rape is not an important forage 

 crop in North America, but deserves far more attention 

 than it has received. It is especially valuable for furnish- 

 ing good feed in autumn and early winter when little other 

 green feed is available. If thus utilized, it conserves the 

 stock of hay and silage for winter use. 



704. Seeding. Rape may be sown in the North from 

 May 1 to about the end of July. In Canada June 15 is 

 about the best date. In the South fall sowing is most 

 satisfactory. The seed should be planted about one-half 

 inch deep, as with deeper planting the stand is likely to 

 be very imperfect. At the Ontario Agricultural College 

 large seed gave decidedly better yields than either medium 

 or small seeds. 



When rape is sown alone, the seed bed should be well 



