Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-08-30

Advantage Of Soiling Horses.
With respec, 10 the advantages of soilsns
horses on green food, in the yard or stable,
it seems to be now generally understood
that, with proper management, they can DOW
be supported with great vigor; its economy,
however, must depend on the proportion
which it bears to the price ofdry food, ana
its convenience to the quantity IN which u
can be spared for other cattle.
1t is a very old, though BY no means .
universal practice,@ and the experience o.
hundreds of farmers proves that horses
maintained in that manner for years have
neither lost aesh nor strength sufficient tor
all farming purposes, although there wasno
palpable saving, Of their work. and tna'
though afterwards placed on dry food dF.
ing The winter, they continued in petiFct
health. Its, an excellet plan to give snIne
green food. along with the corn and chsfs
8bsfsse ths'usuais period d''of feeding on sfy
fodder The change from ory to green. and
again from green to dry food. should be
gradual. In it's commencement the clover
or tares should be cut, and mixed in small
portions with straw, and proportionate
quantity ofcorn should be reduced. The
green food is insensibly increased, until the
corn is entirely omitted, and the quantity of
green meat is supplied without limitation !:
it should, however, be cut overnight, and
given only in small quantities gradually in.
creased, to guard as much as possible from
accidents, which may arise from its
succulence by hoving. When horses are
soiIed, they never should get much alta time,
a practice far too prevalent among servants.
The summer feeding ofhorses was form.
erly confined to paslurage; but OF late
years the practice of solIing has become
very general. The benefit Of grazing con.
sists in it's requiring little attendance; and
being the most natural, and therefore the
most heaIthful, it is preferable for all young
cattle which can be spared from constant
labour, and on farms which contain con.
siderable portion ofrough pasture. But for
horses at regular work. these advantages
are counterbalanced by the time lost in get.
ting them up from the field the indisposl.
lion to !abour which they acquire by being
at large and the annoyance they suffer
from heat and flies when turned out in the
daytime. The value of their dung and
urine is also in great measure destroyed
by being scattered upon the surface OF the
ground, and exposed 10 exhalation from the
sun and wind and there is much waste OF
grass, and injury done to the melIowncss
of the soil, If it be valuable land, by the
treading of all heavy stock, but especially
the horses. The. .u.ilsy-of soI'mg CONSISTS
u. . .nore economical consumption ofgrass,
whether natural or artificial, than by graz.
ing ; in the accumulation Of manure, and
in the quiet and GOODNESS which the cattle
enjoy under sheds, or in the stable. during
midday, as we'll as their being always ready
when wanted the only disadvantage is the
expense of cutting and carrying home the
grass. against which may be fairly set the
increase of manure, if expense be really in
curred; but as, during summer, there is nsu:
ally long interval OF rest oe."ee" INC
morning and afternoon work, the carriers
can then cut the necessary quantity, which
NAV be drawn to the homestead by one OF
the team horses, ifthere should not be a su.
pernumerary one left for odd jobs.
When, however, the economy OF the
practice is not the chief consideration, horses
on summer work may be both grazed and
soiled. They may be pu. on dry clover
in the middle Of the day, between yokings.
and turned ou, during the night int, well
sheltered meadow or enclosure. In being
kept under cover during the heat ofthe day,
they will be sheltered from flies. and will
feed more at ease and in being paslured
out during the night, they will also have an
opportunity Of selecting those grasses which
act as condiments and are most agreeable
to their palate. All animals like variety of
grasses, selecting always what is most pal.
atable, which they cannot do when soiled,
particularly if fed on cut clover or tares.
Exposure to the night air Is also found to
be highly favourable bo,h to their health and
appearance.
The economy Of soillng, wherever It can
be conveniently adopted, Is. indeHd, too gen.
orally admitted to need the support of argu'
ment and particularly on soils on which
turnips are entirely consumed on the ground,
or on which they cannot DO grown, ana
where consequently there is difficulty in con
verting the straw into manure during the
winter, it cannot be too strongly recommen'
ded. Bu, it requires a succession OF green
crops and as only the artificial grasses are
resorted 10 in England-though in many
parts of the continent the meadows are
mown for that purpose--it is necessary that
winter and summer tares should be sown
at different periods, so as to afford a con"
slant supply, both before clover comes Ill.,
and after the first crop is off: THIS IS
great impedimeut to the practice 10 Sco1lano'
and some of our northern counties, where