208 Sheep-Farming 



By seeding small pieces at diflferent dates, a succes- 

 sion of crops can be secured to furnish feed for a 

 long period. The most satisfactory results from the 

 use of rape are secured when it is seeded on well- 

 prepared rich ground. On most soils it does as well 

 drilled in rows 30 inches apart on the flat at the rate 

 of 2 pounds per acre as when planted on ridges. 

 Grown in rows, the soil can be kept stirred and a 

 large crop secured ; also there is less waste than there 

 is in grazing the crop sown broadcast. A good stand 

 of rape well grown has been shown at the Wisconsin 

 Experiment Station to be sufficient to carry twenty 

 lambs for two months on one acre. These lambs 

 were also on a medium grain ration. For ewes with 

 lambs two or three months old, neither receiving 

 grain, it would be well to plan at the rate of an 

 acre per month for twenty-five head of ewes and 

 lambs combined. 



If it is desired to cut the crop for feeding, it should 

 be cut about 4 inches from the ground. When cut 

 at this height, or when it is not grazed too closely and 

 the weather is not very dry, it will make a growth 

 to furnish considerable feed from the second crop. 

 Some care is necessary in getting sheep accustomed 

 to rape. It is not safe to give free access to it when 

 coming from a short pasture, and they should not 

 be turned into it at first without having their stom- 

 achs partly filled from some other pasture. 



Oats, peas, and vetches are other crops that can 



