64 CONTINUOUS CROPPING 



their suffering from drought, unless in exceptionally 

 dry years. Even in districts of low rainfall there is, in 

 fact, generally in late autumn, winter and early spring 

 more moisture than the average farmer wants. 



WHITE MUSTARD, RYE AND RAPE 



White mustard is an extremely rapid-growing 

 cruciferous plant, though more useful for grazing with 

 sheep than for feeding to other kinds of stock. It is 

 also only of use for autumn consumption, because, 

 having a hollow stem, even a mild frost completely 

 kills it. 



For late sowing a mixed crop of rye and rape is very 

 useful. Sown by the end of July, under favourable 

 conditions, it will give a magnificent feeding in the 

 following March. A useful mixture is about 8 or 

 9 stone (of 14 lb.) of rye per statute acre, and 2J to 

 3 lb. of giant rape. It is an advantage with this crop 

 to sow the rye about ten days before the rape, in order 

 to minimise the possibility of the quick-growing rape 

 smothering the rye. Rye can also be sown alone, put 

 in by September ist to provide green feeding in the 

 following April. When sown alone 16 stone of seed 

 per statute acre is required. 



MAIZE 



In the South of England and in districts of low 

 rainfall, especially where dairying is carried on and a 

 good bulk of green feeding is required in late summer 

 and autumn, a fair portion of the tare stubble could be 

 sown with maize for green soil when the pastures fail. 

 This crop could be put down in early June to provide 

 autumn feeding, and by the latter season it will often 

 reach the height of 6 to 7 feet. It requires to be very 

 liberally manured . Unlike the preceding crops, it is not 



