RAPE CULTURE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 415, 26 January 1909, Page 2

RAPE CULTURE.

A VALUABLE CROP. EXCELLENT FRAME-BUILDER FOR '. PIOS. ■■■ -; : Although maiiy New Zealand farmers,grow raps every yearj there ; are others to' whom some notes as toits treatment, will he welcome. The following-article (from the "Agricultural Gazette of New South AValeS I ')' contains somo valuable points:—- ■ *■ "The rape 'plant is closely related to tile cabbage and turnip. Next to luc'erno it afrords tho most nourishing, succulent, and | ,j ' e °rop bii which to graze' pigs, fllis* so far, has hot received the attention it JfiM-its from sheep-owners and pig 'breeders;. It will, surely become riibrb popular as its properties in- the feeding of those animals afb better known. Fits Now Zealand bilittato. "Thogrowth of the crop is bbst encouraged ill a moderately .tool .and. moist' climate. It Jnd paying catch prop inthe rotation, especially BeW?eii cereal'cfbiiis. Xho plant responds ..vigorously to cultivation and liiahuring. The roots resemble those of tha babbage, whilst the leavfes/.dro! like the turnip m fleshiness; siitodthiieSs, size, aiid succulence. The variety which'- affords': th'e ,lughest : returns; under adverse conditions, is the Dwarf Esses.;. The. experience we have acquired m growing the crop for the past re the, most j.i Payable crops to grow for pigs Sir%! w 'ater_ months. Vjt grows best oii rich; taqist, lbamy ( soils. Excellent retuiils , a !° e obtained fronl Saiidy loains, as well as stiff, -clay lands;. A certain crop is assured oti recently-reclaimed, lands. It also grows freely on; virgin Sods when, the turned- ! een - ®Uowed to remain lobechough.to decay..- . v ..... : y. ; 6 ! Thorbtigh Cultivation, ' ,"iii .the case, of. grbwih£ rape as a virgin °?°P' ,° ee P. Plougniiig'.is essential. ~10,- every be. hro'ught.-into it'fine, condition of tilth wiih plough, harrow, and roller. _ The use,of the roller is;especially urged in areas Vrlth a light rainfall, to compact the soil-.and check eva'pbration.. lii all ciises the soil shoiild bo lightly harrowed alter the rol er -to form slil earth-mulch. The seed .ls smillj" aiid hence "a fiiie, iiibiJt, seed-' ellsilfe rapid aiidfnll ger- ! wmatioii; Sortings, a.ay .be made according' to. soil locality and climate, from the latter ■ part...of. February until the: end ' ,of ' May. ..Cjrops Will fbr griizihg off, or'chttingj in periods ranging'from eight to "tfeslve " weeks,- and yield from 6to 20.tons per acre. ! It is not--feaslblS to absolutely deteilniiie iyhe'advantages to be.'derived' from sowing: i,m drills ill.coiltrast with" bfijad-castinfe: Our, P^P er, . enco indicates that when the season is -moiSt, a broadcasted' crop : .makes lie'ttur and more rapid .gf-ojvth thSn. a .drilled one.It must be. borii'fi in howeVer, that where the raiflfall" is scanty, -shallow cultivation is needed to cneck evaporation, and .that can only be conducted 111 a drilled, crop! Cost of tho Crop. • "The quantity, of seed per acre for-a'broad-casted crop is 71b. to 101b.; with a drilled crop. 41b. is sulfidieiifc. .Drills;, 3 apart, allowroom fof d. HSfse m.the work,bf cultivation. Better yields liave.- lieeh gained . froiti- drills 2 feet, apart;... . ' -.' "The cost of ploughing, rolling arid -harrow-: ingj ( the seed; fertilisers, ..fend/.planting and cultivation of a broad-cafeted c.i'ppj is approximately .estimated at £2-4s;-6d. per acre; a crop in drills 3 feet ...apilrV £2 V B?. .-.9 d; per aero; rind 2 feet apart; £2 12s-. 6d. per. acrfe; and of: this 1 .amduiffc, m each.' casOj 225. neris^dr;fertilisers! . "A.maize'drili can be iisbd for.sowing, with, a. plate .containing, the holes -<jf' correct dia- ; " meter; 'V'A Wh&it'drill'cait.'bb improvised for -'sOwirigV,-by ' blocking'the ;'tjibes. to' sbw ln : drills the correct distance-apart.""lt.is stated that pigs feed better from the drilled orop, seeing they 'do. hot- -trample, it, d#h; anil that tho leaves are ifibre juicy. 'The plaiit vHll.gfoW 18 to .22 iiiches liigli. ' . '."Where,a-.fertiliser is required, .tfie-.fcflow-ifig-should -be applied i-^Nitfito of Soda, 37 parts; dried blood, 33^parts; superphosphate. 180 parts; sulphate 'of pota§h, ; :(j(j; parts. Of 'this mixture use 2 cwt; to each acre. ■ Imiirfl-Jes the Soil. . , . . i ! "Ratio is 'considered olie of our best catch crops! -Its deep, root .system enables, it to break hp and peiietrato .tile;' subsoil;' Air and - moisture -are admittedj • phosphoric • acid and jPotash are released aiid taken to the siitface; the laiid ig kept clean aiid.frediroitt' weeds. Tip turned ill; to. grsize the cropj. manure the, soil, and this, With the,roots of. ty. plant, is ploughed., in and renders 'the laiid fertile, aim ready, fbt-.'.tha ftiaiii .cr'qp, to follow, Where the rape, is cut; _,it . is. often' possible,, with' a-fair rainfsll, tfi.i grow! a second crop. doVclops the Pigs. "A series of,.experiments, at the Wisconsin Eipefiiiieiit - Station -to,' ascertain. the feeding-value of: rape fbr-'pigSj and the results ar©> tnUs . : summarised "/That witli pigs from 4 to 10 moiiths oldj representing the; various breeds of swinean abre of .^rSpej-when jiropeHy growh," has a' fbeding value, .whfeni'cpmbliied with, a ration of maize-and bran, eqbivalent to. 24861b. bf ■ a iiiixture of these grain feeds. . That rape is a better green feed'for growing pigs"than: good;. plover past'iirej. thb ■ pigs fed: upon rape having'made on the average 10.01b. of. gain, on 33:51b; Jess grain than was required ; bytile pigs fed .on clover .pasture.-. That pigs, are more thrifty, have better : appetites,' aiid cofrespoiiaingly greater, gains When supphed with a rape pasture in conjunction with their grdjfr wlieft fed. oli grain aloilc; That a plot of Bivarf Essex forage rhpe,.Whell planted, in drills -60 inches, apart' . early in .ilutumhj will , yield three, good crops or ftasttirb fbfage. in a favdhrablb season; That rape is the, most' satisfactory : ,and cheapest, gfeen food fbr swine that We have ffed. That every feeder of pigs should plant each .spring.-a small field of rape atljcJihing bis. pig, yard, arid provide himself with a few rods of iiidVablS J^hce,. to prtiperly. feed thb r&pe to brood sows Snd young pigs. in Drills. » . . " 'That rape should be sowfi for this purpose, in drills 30 inches apart-to facilitate the . stirring'of the ground a'nd cultivation after each successive'growth has; been.'eaten off. That pigs should hot be turned:upon.a rape. paStiirb lihtil the. plants afo at least 12 iiiches ' to i 4 inches high, and that they should be prevented from:footing while ill the rapo feed. That fapb not.a satisfactory feed, When fed filoiie vvheii it, is desirtd to have any livb weight gain made in pip, though it found tTiat tlnsj will just hbout maintain withoiit:lbss of wefclit on tlils feed.aloiie.' ...", " ■' . , ■ "It rf.tist be noted that in ho -.instance is it advisable to. depend-upbn rapo- alone as-a fodder for fattening pigs. ; Young pigs, do well on this.class 6f fodder.up tb the. stage. wlieii thbV hW ; c to lie fattened. . This class of ijiebiv ffeed'distends the.disilstive tract and renders ' it hotter iible.to digtst a fbod.richbr, in.catbolis iiiaize, barley,--pollard, skini' mill;, 1 or Other foods Which niay be givbn with rape to fatten. . ... - . A kaxatii/o Modi6ln«. ' . "It is: also,well, to.reihembor that: when stock: are first turned -in: to graze oii rape it is'ver.v laxative' and-liable to'caiiso scotlrifig. ' This- meaiis that uiitil t-lie Jhimai beoomes accustom'fed -tb thb iibw' dibt it sho'Uld bo given only a few bomi daily. "Rape, is Very, juicy owing, to. its iiigh water content; Tills Varies, from 89 to 94 per ceht. Tho albumenoid ratio is about