The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-10-25
AGRICULTURAL.
From the Spiritual Telegraph.
What Ia soilinsf
ny N. O. VAIL.


The habitual custom among farmers
in almost every portion Of the Union, Is
10 reserve certain number Of acres for a
pasture lot, perhaps upon the poorest part
OF the farm, and at the greatest distance
from the cattle yards. To these fields
which are seldom ploughed, the cattle
are driven daily, and allowed the privi
lege Of ctopping the scanty herbage "a
crafty the demands Of keen appetit,
After the moving season is over, the stock
OF the farm is turned upon the meadows
to feed and fatten upon the delicious sf
termath. When allowed TO roam at large
In this manner they are said to be a,
pasture.
Soiling is q comprehensive term ap-
Piled to the practice Of keeping cattle a,
all seasons Of the year in cool, we'll ven
tlated stables, or in nicely arranged
feeding yard, to which all their food is car
ned, and at such seasons as practicable,
Immediately after being cut.
by pursuing the practice Of soilinp. the
same amount Of land will sustain great.
or number Of cattle in healthy conditions
and at lower rates than if used as a pas.
tare.
Soiling has long been pursued in Ger.
many and other continental states, while
in England, at the present time, it is found
70 be more profitable, and, indeed, the
only plan which can be pursued in many
sections, the high rates Of rendering Il es.
sential TO use every acre Of land to the
best advantage. Some of the more
thorough and intelligent farmers in our
country are fully aware OF the advan Z.
tages Of soiling cattle, and are at present
pFacticing Il upon q large scale.
The practice Of soiling renders the use
OF interior fences entirely unnecessary,
and thus removes one OF the greatest bur
dens the farmer has to support. The cost
Of plain and substantial fences tor the sub
division Of farm Of from one hundred
to one hundred aud fly acres, cannot falI
abort OF one or two thousand dollars. To.
gether with an annual expenditure of AZ.
~ OF hundred dollars for repairs. This
is not the only item--the loss Of time in
turning teams &C the end of the fields,
the space taken up by the fences, and the
'Osc'oV fouoNibX nONtcus weeds which
alwsys collect about them, should be IN.
Ken into account when comparing the
practice Of pastuSing with that Of soiIino.
One acre Of land from which the food
isTemoved, and fed to cattle in the stable
will pro,iuce as much rs four or fiye un.
der pasture. This has been fully proved
By, experiment ia this country, while In
Europe, Il 10 claimed that one acre soiled
from Will produce as much as seven ras-
tussd. These differences arise 10 pa.s
from the fact that uch food Il DESTROYED
By being trampled under foot; and again,
that the conditions cf growth do not ex.
ist 90 fully ON soils continually compressed
BY the trampling Of animsls. Another
advantage 10 gained by tho opportunity
afforded for { change Of TODD, so that
mono be waited.
sWbsn cattle are keptin cool, we'll yeu-
tilatsd stables, which are daily clsaused
snd weIl supplied With pars wasss, they
are found 20 thrive much better thar,
when b pasture bscaess they are then
,susesed from the ilI sdscts Of sudden