Grasses and clovers, field roots, forage and fodder plants . inent is not extensive, but there is good reason to expect that hundredsof thousands of acres of this plant will be grown in the Northern statesof the Union in the near future. Rape furnishes fine forage for sheep and lambs, and in greatabundance when a good stand is obtained. A good, medium cropshould yield from 10 to 12 tons per acre. And its fattening propertiesare probably twice as good as those of clover. The sheep may beturned in upon it when it is fully grown, that is to say from eight toten weeks after it has been sown. They
Grasses and clovers, field roots, forage and fodder plants . inent is not extensive, but there is good reason to expect that hundredsof thousands of acres of this plant will be grown in the Northern statesof the Union in the near future. Rape furnishes fine forage for sheep and lambs, and in greatabundance when a good stand is obtained. A good, medium cropshould yield from 10 to 12 tons per acre. And its fattening propertiesare probably twice as good as those of clover. The sheep may beturned in upon it when it is fully grown, that is to say from eight toten weeks after it has been sown. They should not be put into itwhen hungry, or they may eat too much at first. It is safer to turn Forage Crops. 55 them in upon it in the morning after the dew has lifted, and whenonce turned upon it they may be allowed to remain until the field iseaten of¥. Or, they may be accustomed to it by degrees, putting them onit but a short time at first and then gradually extending the tfme fromday to day, until finally they are allowed to remain upon it all the Dwarf Essex Rape. (Brassica campestris.) The second method is the safer, but in dry weather it will not be neces-sary probably to take so much trouble. The practice of having an old,grass pasture at hand is a good one. The sheep will eat some of thegrass, hence the rape is not so liable to produce undue laxness of the 56 Grasses, Clovers, Field Roots, Forage and Fodder Plants. bowels. An acre of rape should furnish forage for from ten to fifteensheep for two months. At the end of that time the sheep should be fatenough for ordinary marketing. They do not need any additional grainration when on the rape, nor do they require water, but they musthave access to salt at all times. Rape will also furnish excellent pasture for cattle, but they wastemore than sheep by trampling it under foot. There is some danger ofinjury from bloating, with cattle as well as with sheep, when they areput upon it while the leaves are moist from the i
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Keywords: ., bookauthorshawthom, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1895
