The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-06-12
SOilinC Cattle.

GA this subject the New England Farmer
has the following remarks:
On our own farm soiling for more than
twenty-five years. At first we were not in
clined to recommend the practice to farmers
in general, but only to those who might, IKE
ourselves, be located where good pastures all
the summer long are entirely oat of the ques-
tom but, as our reading and observation
have been extended, we are inclined to be-
lievc that partial soiling, at least, is prac'
tlce that might well be adopted on nearly, or
quite all, dairy farms.
Feeding green food to cattle in their stalls
in summer was formerly considered advisable
only in villages or near cities where grazing
lands were held at prices too high for ordin'
airy farming purposes, and those writers who
treated the subject through the newspaper
press almost invariably spoke disparaglngly
of the soilng system, except under such cir
cumstances as we have named. On compar-
atively cheap lands, away from the cities,
and especially at the west, it was believed
that the expenses of s0iling cows would al
ways far exceed the advantages which might
accrue.
But within the past few years, since the
dairy interest has assumed such an impor
tant position among the agricultural indus
tries of our country, it has been discovered
Northern and Western States that feeding
cows at the stall during portions OF the sum
mer season, for the purpose of keeping up a
regular and uniform flow of milk, is not only
commendable, but almost in an indispensa
BILE, practice. During the past year we have
seen urgent appeals from leading western
dairymen to the farmers of Wisconsin, Mich
igan, Minnesota and other Ear western States
to raise special forage crops fo- feeding to
cows in summer, and we no longer feel din
dent about urging farmers everywhere &c
practice this system OF summer feeding tC
such an extent as each may find profitable in
his own particular case
Spring rye, if sowed very think, say foul
bushels to the acre, and cut as sooa as it be
gins to blossom or little before, will, il
we'll cured, make hay that will be eaten by
horses in winter with q fair relish, but VIZ
should not recommend its use on large
scale for cows IN milk, without further trial
We raised a field of it last year and intenc
to repeat the experiment this season, although
it was not fully successful last year as sub
stitute for hay for cows. 1t probably stood ;
little too late What is true of spring rye Il
equally true of the winter variety. Both
make excellent green feed for cows If Gu
early enough, but they are in perfect condi
ton but a short time. We consider both in
dispensable on all farms where sOiling is car
ried on, or where one wishes to keep heavy
stock of cattle in proportion to the numbe
of acres We should not mix oats and rye
together, as they do not rlpen at the SANE
time. The spring rye will be several day
earlier than the oats, and If allowed to stanC
TIL the oats were grown would be almost o
quite worthless as feed Better SOW then
separately, and cut of each what will b.
needed TOT feeding grain, and cure the re
mainder at the light time for winter fodder
Oats, we thinE, " i'll be liked rather bette
by your cattle ;.,su rye, although much de
ponds upon the ,se at which they are cut
and the quantity of seed to the acre. TIN
finer the todd,', other things being equal, tn
better it viii ~ and the earlier it is GU
the better it W De, if it has nearly rcache,
its full height md is thoroughly cured