Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-06-27
S0iling Stock.

IT seems little ridiculous in this, a
State of broad, fertile, unfenced, and un-
occupied prairies, to talk of the practice
of soiling stock; and yet we have numer-
GUS small farmers situated so that they
cannot keep stock for want of pasture
room, that would be vastly benefited by
a judicious application of the soiling
system.
There are three important advantages
resulting from this system of feeding.
First, it economies food; second, il saves
land; and third, it saves fencing.
These benefits are potent, and need no
argument. There are others that are
claimed for, this system of feeding, but
they are of questionable advantage in a
State like ours, and we shall not refer to
them, but glance hastily at what we
esteem profitable crops for this system of
keeping stock.
Taking five acres of land as O. basis,
we estimate that it will keep three cows,
or their equivalent in other stock, six
months of the year, by the ordinary
system of pasturing; and it must be good
pasture to do this.
By the soiling system the same amount
of land will keep seven cows constantly,
if not eight-will keep them in as good
health, and will produce as good flow of
milk. This experience proves.
What are the most profitable crops for
soiling? The main dependence must be
| upon rye, clever and corn. After these
may be mentioned cabbage, oats, turnips,
etc.
The distribution of the land, in our
| Judgment, should be, one acre in rye, two
acres in clover, one and a half acres in
corn, and half acre in cabbage, etc. The
rye should be sowed the first half of Sep
1 l. Ill r.~1
| and in ordinary seasons will afford some
feed into the fall and early winter, with
out detriment to the crop; and long before
grass comes in the spring. the rye will be
rank and luxuriant, and the first cutting
may commence from the Goth of April to
the first of May, owing somewhat to the
season. One acre of good rye, with {
little good hay, will last seven COWS nearly
one month. BY this time the clover will
do to cut, and ought to afford abundan
feed for one and half months.
A part-say one-half acre-of the corl
ground should be sown broadcast, from
the goth of April to the 1st of May
another half acre nearly a month later
and the remaining part of the grount
from the 1st to the 10th of June. Th
half acre devoted to cabbage may b
I planted about the ordinary season-par
rest to later varieties,
This succession of crops ought to, an,
we believe will, keep this number of COW
until the 1st of December.
Adjoining the barn should be lot, o
greater or less size, proportionate to tn
number of cows in which should be shed
or trees for shade and shelter; and in tn
lot should be feed-racks and boxes, tia
the stock may be fed here in pleasan
weather, instead of being confined in tn
barn. The only other provision-and
very important one, too-is a plentiful
supply of good water.
If these requisites can be had, and tn
above conditions fulfilled, there are man
of our twenty and thirty-acre farms tha
! can, with profit, keep ten or fifteen COWS
and, kept by the soiling system, they wi
furnish manure enough to make ever
! foot of the little farm as rich as garden
-Rdnsds Farmer.