RAPE. 339 



which is generally, indeed, we may say almost universally, 

 adopted in Belgium, where the cultivation of the oleaginous 

 plants has reached a high point of perfection. In sowing 

 on the drill, the land is prepared in the same way as for tur- 

 nips, the quantity of seed being from 3 to 5 Ibs. per acre, and 

 of manure from 10 to 15 tons of short or well rotted, or 20 

 to 30 tons long farmyard manure. The distance between 

 the ridges 1 5 to 18 inches. When sowing on a seed-bed and 

 transplanting is adopted a plan more particularly adapted 

 for small holders the plot selected for the seed-bed should 

 be, if possible, a good loamy soil, trenched with the spade, and 

 abundantly manured with well rotted dung. This should 

 be spread evenly over it, and dug into a depth of 6 inches. 

 The extent of land devoted to the seed-bed may be one-tenth 

 of the land intended to be cropped. The best way is to 

 sow the seed in the plot in drills, although it is often sown 

 broadcast, the time of sowing being at the end of June or 

 beginning of July. It is a good plan to sow at three dif- 

 ferent periods say at intervals of ten days or a fortnight 

 each. By this means any unfavourable growth of the 

 plants may be corrected, and a good selection of plants for 

 transplanting obtained. The seed should be sown thinly, 

 so that the stems may be strong ; and as soon as the leaves 

 are formed, they should be thinned out in the rows to 

 distances between 4 or 5 inches. Sowing, however, may 

 be risked as late as the beginning of September. The 

 plants, however, will come later into use. The crop may 

 succeed a cereal or early potatoes, the transplanting being 

 effected as soon after these crops are taken off the ground 

 as possible. The stubble should be ploughed two or three 

 times and harrowed, a good supply of rotten dung applied, 

 and the land finished the same as for turnips the plants 

 being dibbled on the crown of the ridges at distances of 

 12 inches apart. Where the rape is to succeed early po- 

 tatoes, the land requires no new ploughing, the plants 

 being dibbled in at once. 



147. Care should be observed in selecting the plants for 

 transplanting, those being neither too large nor too small, and 



