VOLLX
INDIANAPOLIS, OCT. 21, 1905.
NO 42
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GROWING AND PASTURING RAPE.
Makes Very Fine Pasture.
1st Promium—For bo vera 1 years we
hnve grown rape as a pasture plant for
swine. We have tried it for cows, but
fiinl that is gives the milk a rank flavor.
Hens that feed largely on rape lay
eggs with very dark col6red yolks
and having n strong flavor that
is disagreeable to the taste, hence our
rape pasture is always sown as far removed from the poultry'houses as is practicable. As pasture for hogs in spring
and early summer it is unexcelled. We
have often carried growing hogs through,
from April until the coming of roasting
ear in* the fields, on rape alone, nnd when
ready for the feed lot we never had healthier or heavier boned shoats for their
age. We have no doubt that sheep would
do as well, although our experience does
not include sheep. Rape is essentially a
moist ground plant. Like cabbage, which
it resembles in leaf color, and to some extent iu habit, it thrives best in rich, highly
fertilized soil. Tlie ground should he well
prepared and harrowed, until.there are no
clods to interfere with its growth, and
the seed sown broadcast, in March or early April. Hape can entlure considerable
cool weather without injury, and sometimes late in the fall tlie late rains put
new life in the old stalks, nnd a new and
vigorous growth shoots up that furnishes
green feed for some time before being killed by freezing. During the summer, however, if there is much dry weather, the
plant toughens and growth ceases to be
vigorous, which makes it comparatively
worthless as pasture. For such emergencies we always contrive to have son-guni
or sugar corn to fill in the gap. Sometimes the two plants are sown in the same
pasture, for as long as the rape holds out
the hogs rarely cut down the sorgum, and
often it begins to head and become sweet
before it is molested. In the fall, when
the calves are taken from the pasture and
weaned, we often turn them in on the
rape, as long as it lasts, and they thrive
and do well.
.Many farmers do not know the possibilities of rape for pasture, as it is not
as extensively grown as it should be,
probably on account of its being au annual; but where there is danger of a
shortage of green stuff, at any time of
the spring or summer, it will pay anj-
farmer to sow rape to supply the deficiency. C.  B.   B.
A Heavy Producer.
2d Premium.—To tlie farmer whose
pasture lands are of limited area th* us»
of some crop capable of producing the
maximum yield of the most nutritious forage is imperative. This crop is rape,
and ft should be more generally grown.
I think it ranke as one of the most nutritious of onr forage plants. It may be
nsed as a pasture, and this fact renders
it all the more valuable to the busy
farmer.
It will grow on almost any kind of
soil, although a strong loam or clay is
generally preferred, but any soil which
will make a good crop of corn or potatoes will also make a good crop of rape.
It will produce an immense amount of
feed on very rich land. Rape is a
heavy feeler and needs heavy manuring
to make Its best yield. If intended for
pasture it is usually best to sow it broad
cast, at the rate of three pounds to the
aere.
sSteers do well on rape at any time,
but it is probably of th* greatest value
for beef production in the fall. I.ambs
ami sheep like jt and do well
on it, at any season, but they
should be made for winter comfort and
Sometimes rape will yield two or three
cuttings in one season. Analysis shows
it to be richer than clover in flesh-forming
material.       It should not be fed to milch
I have n thoroughbred male hog that
has been sick f«sr six weeks ami there are
little lumps about the size of a hulled
hazelnut nil over him and his legs are
seeming stiff. He can't walk when we
help him up, and don't eat scarcely anything but a little milk. He is a high
priced hog. What is the disease and
what had I belter give him for a cure.
The hog seems to have a great deal of
fever. I have tried several remedies
but they failed to help him.      I have been
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Home of S. A. Budd, near Bcllemore, Indiana.
cows, as it gives a peculiar flavor to the
milk. A Header.
No. 503, Oct. 28.—Tell how to treat the
dairy cow through th© winter.
Xo. 501, Nov. 4.—What preparations
should be made for winter comfot and
pleasure in the farm home?
No. r.0r>, Nov. ll.—Tell how to get
tne  greatest  value  out of the  corn  crop.
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Bdlted  by Is.   A.  Orlcner,  il.  F.   V.   S.,   14-16 3.
Alabama St., Indianapolis.      Advice by mail $1.
Query:—I would like to ask a favor
I have a valuable milk cow with teats
covered with seed warts, and I would
greatly appreciate any advice as to affecting  a  cur?. J.   C.
Answer:—From your description I can
successfully while you are milking her.
If you wish to remove warts you must select the time when she is dry. Treatment:
Clip off the large warts with a sharp pair
of scissors; then apply Fowler's solution
of arsenic, once a day, for a week or i
days.
Query:—I have a driving mare that I
purchased in the spring of 1001. Each
fall she bites herself and the hair comes
off in small spots. More so on her front
quarters. Please name remedy for the
same in the columns of your valuable
paper. A  Header.
j     Answer:—Give your mare a good bath
I with  common   soft   soap.       Whito  wash
j your stable.      Sponge more with the fol-
i lowing lotion, twice each day: Zenoluum,
one tablespoonful to one gallon of warm
water.        This   to   be  used   as  n   wash,
once or twice a day; all over the parts affected.
a subscriber to the Indiana Farmer 'for
years and I think it one of the best farm
papers published. Isaac Swartz.
Answer:-From your descrption I can
hardly come to an intelligent conclusion
as to the real trouble of your hog, but
from what I can learn I would juitge
that your hog is suffering with an over
nitrogenous condition, or simply from
overfeeding too much rich food. There
is no doubt your hog has liver and kill-
Bey trouble wliich is manifested by the
lumps all over her body ainl tbe inability
of locomotion. I would recommend soft
digestible food such as milk—sour milk is
very good as it acts as a laxative; also
lian slops. Stop all implication ns I
think you have already given too much
medicine. Give the stomach a rest.
Should you persist in giving him something you may give him the following:
Elixid pepsin with iron, ■ quinine and
strychnine. One dessert spoonful three
times a day.
HARVESTING  AND  STORING  OF
SEED CORN.
Editors  Indiana   lormer
The time is at hand when the farmers
of Indiana harvest tlieir corn. At this
time also some attention will In- given- to
Ihe selection of seed corn for next year's
crop, and as the seed corn question is one
of vast importance to every farmer and
land owner, a few words at this time
will not be out of place.
An examination of many of the present
corn fields shows that the stand and qual-
it> of corn is far below what it should l>e.
This condition can be accounted for in
several ways, but in many cases it is due
to poor seed.    The loss this year to the
farmers of Indiana from this source alone
will amount to many thousands of dollars.
Again, when we remember that more
than four million acres of Indiana land
will Iw planted to corn next year, und to
plant this about fiTfi.OOO bushels of seed
will be required, ami when we realize that
(he yield and quality of the crop will depend in n large measure on the selection
and storing of the seed tli is fall, wc can
readily appreciate the importance of care
t-ii'l attention to the selection ami storing
of seed corn at this time.
— Time lo Harvest Seed Corn. —
Seed corn should be allowed to mature
thoroughly before being picked. Corn
harvested before it is matured will have
less vitality thalr eorn allowed to stand on
the stalk until it is thoroughly matured
and has obtained all the nourishment in-
tcniled  for  it.
Se "d <<,rn should always be picked
before there is danger of heavy frosts. The
kernel at this time contains a high per
cent of moisture and if allowed to freeze,
has its vitality impaired. Therefore, the
ln-st time for tbis work would bo from
October 10th  to 25th.
— Method of Selecting Seed Corn. —
The methods of selecting seed corn from
the load at the crib, from the crib after
harvest, or in the spring, are objectionable. Such practices as these do not
allow a study of the stalks from wliich
the ear3 "rome.
A plan- to be recommended is that of
going through the field after the corn has
matured and before general tamest, and
selecting the seed from tlie stalk. Another is to have a box or basket attached
to the wagon box at the time of general
harvest in whicli can be placed all desirable seed ears.
Always select cars of good size and
quality, which have straight rows of
regular sized kern-els, and whieh most
nearly represent the type desired. Tliese
cars should be at a convenient hight of 4y*
to C- feet on the stalk*, and should be attached to the stalk by a shank medium
?ii length and strength.
The stalks from which the seed ears are
.selected should be of medium size, strong
at the base and tapering gradually to the
tassel and with a large leaf development
as the leaf is the laboratory of the plant.
Tlie stalk should also stand erect and be
free from smut or insect attack. By giv-'
:ng attention to these points, seed corn
will be selected that will show the strongest vitality and will produce, to a high degree, the most desirable qualities.
— How to Store Seed Corn. —
Perhaps there is no way in which corn
is injured more than through improper
storing. Corn- as it comes from the field
contains a high per cent of moisture, and
if subjected to a high or low temperature
will be materially injured.
To save corn properly, it should be
stored in a dry place and in such a way
that each car will be exposed to a free
circulation   of   nir. Seed   corn   should
nlwnys be stored in the ear, but never iu
Inrre's, boxes, or sacks, or atwve large
quantities of grain.
A satisfactory method and one adopted
by many farmers is to tie eight or ten
ears in a string with binding twinre, or
they may be tied together in pairs, and
hang them in an open shed where the sun
wiil not shine on them, but where the
air can circulate freely about them. In
this way the ears will be allowed to dry
out rapidly, and before the heavy frosts
come (say Nov. 1 to 10th, )they are ready
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