142 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



the manner in which it is fed, or the milk -will be 

 tainted more or less. Many dairymen, who send their 

 milk regularly to a cheese factory, feed it to their 

 cows once or twice a day after the cows have been 

 milked. These dairymen state that no complaint has 

 been made as to the quality of the milk. But some 

 dairy authorities claim it should not be fed to cows 

 giving milk at all, as the danger of taint is imminent. 

 The truth will probably be found, in this as in so 

 many other instances, to occupy middle ground. If 

 the rape is fed just after the cows have been milked 

 and in moderation, while the milk flow will be well 

 sustained, there will probably be no perceptible taint 

 in the milk. But if fed in excess, while the milk 

 flow will be further increased, the milk will carry in 

 it more or less of the odor of the green rape. 



The yield of the mature crop is proportionate 

 to the faA'orable nature of the climatic conditions, 

 the richness of the land, and the nature and extent of 

 the cultivation given to the plants. Ten tons an acre 

 is a ver)^ moderate yield. Twenty tons an acre are 

 frecjuently obtained, and there are instances in whicli 

 the yield has been increased to thirty tons per acre. 

 When the exceedingly rich character of the food is 

 kept in mind and when this fact is coupled with the 

 large yields that can be obtained, the conclusion is 

 legitimate, viz., that but few crops can be grown that 

 will yield a greater food value per acre. 



Distribution. — It is questionable if there is any 

 state in the Union or any province in Canada in 

 some part of which this food cannot be successfully 

 grown at some season of the year. It may witli no 

 little propriety be termed a cool weather plant, hence 



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