SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 151 



four pounds of seed to the acre and letting 

 the cultivator cover it. Should the season 

 prove moderately moist thereafter the rape 

 will come on and be ready to make a vigor- 

 ous growth as soon as the com is out. By 

 the middle of Octoher it may be waist high 

 over the field and will afford an immense 

 amount of grazing until Christmas or later. 



Care should be taken not to turn on rape 

 early in the morning in late fall when it is 

 frosted, as every leaf that is bent at that 

 time will blacken and decay. It takes a cold 

 of about 12 degrees to injure rape if it is not 

 disturbed until it has thawed again. 



Sheep will fatten on rape, though an addi- 

 tion of grain is profitable and access to a grass 

 pasture or the regular feeding of good hay in 

 connection with it is very desirable. There 

 is some danger from bloat in rape feeding, 

 though the writer has never had to treat a 

 sheep for rape bloating nor lost one. 



The Dwarf Essex seems the best variety to 

 sow. 



CABBAGES. 



In fitting sheep for the show ring cabbages 

 are almost indispensable and for feeding in 

 fall and early winter they are most excellent. 

 In many places cabbage grows luxuriantly and 

 a given amount of sheep feed can probably 

 be as cheaply grown from this plant as in 

 any other way. In considering these foods it 

 must be borne in mind that a certain portion 

 of succulence is absolutely necessary to the 



