154 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



This plant is best adapted to cool, moist climates and does best in the 

 Northern states and Canada. South of latitude 38 degrees it is best to sow 

 it in the fall. This allows it to make most of its growth during the cooler 

 part of the year. North of this, rape should be seeded in the spring so that 

 it may make most of its growth before hot weather. 



Three to six pounds of seed per acre are required. It may be either 

 broadcasted or seeded with a drill on a well prepared seed-bed. 



Rape is usually ready to pasture in six or eight weeks after seeding. 

 If not pastured too closely, it continues to grow until freezing weather. 



Making Hogs of Themselves. 1 

 Rape makes an excellent late fall and early spring pasture for growing hogs. 



Care must be taken in pasturing cattle and sheep in rape. They should be 

 allowed on the rape only a short period at a time, until they become accus- 

 tomed to it. Very bad cases of bloat may result if this caution is unheeded. 

 The preceding tabulation taken from "Wallace's Farmer" summarizes 

 the requirements for catch crops when used for pasture and hay. It gives 

 the approximate requirements for average corn-belt conditions, but is 

 subject to modifications as regards time of seeding and amount of seed, 

 depending on climatic conditions. 



i Courtesy of Dept. of Animal Husbandry, Pennsylvania State College. 



