374 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF RAPE OR COLZA FOR SEED, AS 

 PRACTISED IN NORMANDY. 



BY THE HON. R. J. WANT. 



The seed is sown broad cast, in the month of July, upon well-manured 

 ground, and if possible during wet weather. This is the seed-bed for the 

 future plant. It should be sown as turnip or cabbage seed is sown, when 

 it is intended to transplant the young plants. In the months of September, 

 October, and November, the plants are taken from the seed-bed, and 

 transplanted for the future crop. The field is richly manured with farm- 

 yard dung, spread broad cast on the land, and ploughed in. The previous 

 crop is usually wheat. 



The plant is then planted out in rows about two feet distance from 

 each other, and each plant, eighteen inches apart. In good soil, as for 

 instance, land partly broken up from old pasture, or from wood, the crop 

 will be much heavier and ripen more equally if planted at a greater 

 distance. It is usually planted in every alternate furrow, but the manure 

 plough is expressly constructed for breadth of furrow. The plant is 

 exceedingly robust and soon recovers itself after transplanting. It thus 

 remains permanently planted out until the month of February, when the 

 horse hoe is set to work to pulverise the soil after the frosts. Good careful 

 farmers then add some artificial manure to encourage the growth of the 

 plant. The articial manure generally employed is guano or the rape dust, 

 and rape cake, which proceeds from the manufacture of the oil. Rape cake, 

 indeed, is one of the very best stimulants that the plant can receive. After 

 this Spring manuring, the double mould board plough passes between the 

 drills so as to throw the earth well up to the stalks of the plants. 



Nothing more is done till harvest, which occurs towards the middle 

 of July. The chief enemy of the rape seed crop is the hail, the heavy 

 rains of July are also often prejudicial. As soon as the straw and seed 

 pod become yellow, the crop is ready to cut. This is done by the sickle, 

 and the reapers place the crop as it is cut, across the ridges, so as to leave 

 the air to circulate as much as possible. In from six to ten days the crop 

 is ready for the flail. It is a seed that sheds itself with great ease, and 

 must be handled tenderly or much will be lost. The crop is thrashed in 

 the field. A large space is cleared, and a sail-cloth spread on the 

 ground. A light species of hand-barrow, or cradle is constructed, and 

 lined with canvas. It is carried by two persons across the field, and they 

 gather up the sheaves, which, as lightly as possible, they deposit in the 

 cradle or hand-crib. When they arrive at the threshing place, they simply 

 overturn the cradle and leave the sheaves on the floor. 



The least possible strike of the flail .suffices to dislodge the grain. After 

 threshing, the grain requires to be constantly turned in the store, or it will 



