The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-05-31
From the Practical Farmer.
Soiling in Drouth of Summer.
HOW CAME TO PRACTICE IT, AND THE
RESULTS.
CONTINUED FROM LAST NO. |

In laying plans for my fourth year of
farm life, l had to take into considera-
ton that | had increased the size of my
flock of sheep, while | had no means of
securing additional range of pasture. l
therefore prepared to have on hand
supply of summer feed for soilng, so
abundant that l might for few weeks
withdraw all my stock, save sheep. from
the pasture, in case, as proved true, the
season should be dry one.
The most convenient land to my barn
was the same where | raised fodder the
second year. During the spring had so
changed my lane that it cut this field in
two, leaving about (aJout, of course, is
more indefinite than it should be,) two
thirds of an acre of the upper and poorer
portion of the field by itself. This was
done with the object Of devoting it con-
tinually to the growth of soiing crops. 1t
was near the barn and house, and the car
rying of fodder from any portion of it to
the lane was down hill.
On this land, which l felt confident did
not exceed two.thirds of an acre and
probably was less, we spread about
there's that indefinite about AGAIN. twen-
ty carloads of good stable manure,
mostly from horses.
We ploughed with side.hill pillow, so
as to get the manure in deeply. 1t was
rather clayey lacd, but well loosened by
an abundance of small stones-rather
a warm soil. The manure was short and
got well mixed with the soil in ploughing.
1t was well narrowed, and then burrows
opened three and half feet apart, paral-
lei with the lane, with two-horse side
hill pillow, throwing the furrow up hW
Seed corn was then scattered in these
open burrows, so as to average not over
ten grains to the foot Of the row. After
all the burrows had been seeded, the har-
row was again made to do its duty in
covering. In narrowing the land in the
same direction as the burrows, the soil
which was thrown out to the upper side
of the furrow, by the side-hill pillow, was
tumbled back on the corn, and thus the
land got an additional narrowing and the
corn was covered in the same operation.
The time of planting was the usual corn
planting time, May 10th to 10Th.
We cultivated twice, with our Western
Pennsylvania double shovel iron corn.
plow. 1t needed no hoeing Expected
to 90 through it third time, but when
the time came, there were no weeds, no
daylight Oh the soil for them to see to
sprout by, for the rows were closed, the
whole looking as if sowed broadcast
Now for the result of our fourth crop
of summer feed. We had three horses,
another just undergoing training, full as
large as any of the others; one spring
colt, three cows, and three head of young
stock averaging one year old. This
amount Of stock fully equalling, in our
opinion, nine COWS, was fed Tor eight
weeks, from Aug. lst to Oct. lst, from
this patch of less than two thirds of an
acre.
After the first week, none Of the ami
mails would 60 to the pasture without be-
ing driven, and then would Immediately
return. They were fed in rough west
ern way, in the angles Of the worm fence
thus none Of the manure was saved. |
was well satisfied with the one advantage
| had realized. The cows were kept in
a fine flow of milk, though all my neigh
Dor farmers were complaining of their
cows "going dry"
The amount of labor involved in cutting
and feeding several times per day should
not deter any one from trying this sum.
mer feeding. In my case did not con.
slider it exceeded the labor of going to
the pasture for the cows twice daily. II
on practical test such as | made Of il
tor four seasons, found sufficient benefit
in summer soiling where land was cheap
and no account was made of the manure
how much more should eastern farmers
> whose land is high priced, and who might
systematic summer feeding in sheds, 81
as to save the manure.
Persons who contemplate trying thu
growing of corn fodder for the purpose O
helping out scanty pastures, should reat
t +" Soiling," by Quincy, which no doub
can be found among the good books KEEP
for sale at the Office of the Practica
Farmer" Many writer's advocate thick
er seeding than ten grains to the foot o
!, row. l always found thicker seeding
Interchangeable perhaps my land wa
!, not rich enough. Many writers ais
: speak of cutting second crop from tn
D roots first emf over the stumns woul