The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-06-03
FARM N GARDEN.


At the cast, for the past twenty-fv or
thirty years, tho question of sOiling has
been n noted one, and one which Mt the
present time is being shown n practical
one by very many dairy and stock men.
Many farms are devoted to the pro-
ductiOn of milk for market to supply
the many cities and manufacturing vii
lagos OF tho east, and AZ these milk
producers must have u constant flow of
milk, soiling to n greater or less extent
has become II necessity, and those who
are engaged III making gilt-edged but
ter find 1t important to feed II little
green feed in the barn il times of
drought. 1t IL also found in practice
that horses and hogs thrive by the same
course. Nearly all practiced and intel
llgent farmers will admit that where
land is dear aud the products of the
herd are high, soiling will pay and
some viii grant that where the soil by
constant cropping has become impover-
Ished and n become n necessity,
III order to grow paying crops, soiling
also may pay. But the Qucs ion before
M IL not whether soiling is or may be
profitable to other parts of this great
country, but it in adapted to Missouri
and TO the present time? In localities
where there IL Unlimited range Of unin
closed land, all kinds of stock may do
very well ON the natural pasture. But
II II piece OF corn IN sOwn thiCkly aud a
small feed given to the cows mt night,
1t will help very much to keep up the
flow Of milk in time of severe drought,
and will also prove quito nm induccment
to the COWS to be Mt home in good sea
son. Bnt this outside range is fast Civ.
ing ont in many places, and in some
localities large herds of Texas cattle
are fed, monOpolizing tho feed that by
right ought to belong to those residing
near. And it seems our laws admit OF
the Leasing of uninclt sed lands for the
purpose of herdiDg cattle, and n great
inquiry now IN, an onR those who have
considerable stock, what are we going
to do for feed 1t 10 Just the time now
to put in crops for soiling for this aud
future seasons, A little rich land sown
from time TO time will furnish IL great
amount of the best kind of feed for
mich COWS, and what is good for them
will no be refused by other stock.
Where soiling IL necessary some prepa,
ration must be made in the fall, as much
ut least IA to SOW thickly II small piece
of rye, AS this il us''ally the first thing
that can be cut to advantage. Glover
usually next, and there is no bet
ter feed. Cows fed on clover will give
IN abundance Of excellent milk. Oats
tIt Will, nTnan n,ukn YaN, ..,.1 f..l
But | think there is nothing better than
corn sown III drills Mt the rate oil two
and n half bushels to tho acre-at such
times as 1t ~ IN season nor is it easy to
find any other crop that can equal it for
soillng purposes. Oats and barley sown
late can sometimes be used after corn is
killed ny frost, and sometimes tnrnips
can be grown ns n second crop to good
advantage. | suppose most farmers
will say too much bother, too much
trouble, etc. How can we ever get pay
for all this laborP While land is cheap
1t ia no doubt best to pasture young
cattle. Bnt it must be economy to at
least part soil dairy stock aud teams.
In rections where much grain is raised
and but lit 10 stock kept, soiling be-
NJ prac ical ut once for the following
reasons, which are admitted by all who
have tried tho system IL saves much
land-about three fourtbs while some
claim a still greater area is saved. This
IL being demonstrated continually in the
older parts Of our country. Lands pas.
tufed DO not yield mar az much feed
per acre, and much of what is produced
IN destroyed by the tramping of boofs
n ioulin9 OF the stock. AT one time
III my experience | was milking TWELVE
COWS. and, in time of severe drouobt 7
was Obliged to feed wholly in the bar,
Ii required but four rods OF pround 10
Keep the twelve cows n day, giving tbem
all the corn fodder they could eat md
as this cora grew IN II young orchard
with a thrifty tree NJ each corner. which
must have occupied Mt least one. fourtb
OF the land, so tina in point OF fact ono
square rod furnished food for four cows
day. Each one must consider for
himself how far the additional labor
VIII balance the saving Of land Where
community of gain growing will To.
ge'her agree to soil all stock, all farm
fences can he dispensed with. This
VIII not only save the land occupied by
fences and hedges, which many time,
grow weeds To reed cultivated fields.
ana also furnish n barber or home for
many small animals that arr moro mr.
iesS destructive to the crops of adjoin.
ing fields, but the first cost of the fence
~ saved, and the annual repairs there.
after. 10 is not necessary for me to es.
Innate the cost OF f.. fences. Every
ore IN th's new country knows by bitter
e1perleLtJ. IL certainly is n large sum
on most well fenced farms. II one
armer alone in any community chooses,