306 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



RAPE. 



Rape is a native of Northern Europe and Asia. It is only in 

 comparatively recet years that it has been grown to any extent 

 in this country. Rape is not, as a good many suppose it is, a grass 

 suitable for hay, but a plant, of the cabbage family, with leaves 

 somewhat different to the ordinary cabbage. There are several 

 kinds of rape. The proper kind for fodder is Dwarf Essex. It is 

 important in securing rape seed that it be secured through relia- 

 ble seed houses, since a good deal of common bird rape seed has 

 been sold for Dwarf Essex. The value of a rape field cannot be 

 overestimated for sheep ; especially is this true in dry seasons, when 

 our ordinary pastures are bare and brown. The flockmaster with 

 a field of rape need have no fear of being short of pasture during 

 the hot, dry days of July and August. Possibly, with the exception 

 of thousand-headed kale, nothing furnishes more feed per acre 

 than rape. An acre of rape to every dozen sheep is a splendid 

 thing to have. If the rape field is pastured before the plant has 

 reached a respectable growth it should be fed by means of mov- 

 able fences to avoid waste. Where it has reached a good growth 

 this is not necessary, as the sheep practically eat their way into 

 the field as they go. Rape seed should not be sown too thickly. 

 Some use as much as four or five pounds of seed per acre, but 

 two is much better where the soil is rich. It is a very vigorous 

 grower on rich ground and requires room for best results. 



This plant can be sown as soon as danger of frost is over 

 and frequent sowings made up to the end of August. Rape sown 

 in the corn field ahead of the cultivator at the last cultivation of 

 corn gives fairly good crops in dry seasons and in wet seasons the 

 crop is all that the most sanguine could expect. It is not a bad 

 idea to sow rape next to the regular sheep pastures and leave 

 openings in the fences so that the lambs can go through while 

 the ewes are confined to the ordinary pastures. 



Lambs are easily weaned where they have been running in 

 the rape field with the ewes by simply leaving them there and re- 

 moving the ewes to some poor pasture out of their hearing. 



Rape sown in the open field is generally ready to pasture 

 about six weeks from date of sowing. Rape, sown with oats, peas 

 and vetches, makes a good combination for show sheep. 



RAISING RAPE IN THE STUBBLE FIELD. 



A good deal of valuable fodder in the shape of rape might be 

 raised in the stubble field. An address delivered before the South 

 Dakota Sheep Breeders' Association by Mr. W. F. Kelly contains 

 the following on this important topic : 



"South Dakota is placed in the semi-arid belt. We in the 



