The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-04-27
Agricultural Department
ny ALBERT CHAPMAN
Is sOnLINC PROFITABLE TO TIN
AVERAGE VERMONT FARMER,

state Board of agriculture, at High
gate.
In treating upon this question, it
will be necessary, first, to give 'a-defini-
ton of what is termed soiling. 1t i'm
plies the feeding of cattle or horses in
the stable or an inclosure, with fresh
cut grass or other forage plants instead
of turning them out to grass or pasture
land. This system of feeding is not
new, but is practiccd to considerable
extent In the old countries, especially
where farms are small and it is ncces-
sary to produce the greatest. amount of
forage possible from the land, and in
some sections ofour country.
The advantages to be derived from
this system over pasturing are; the saw
ing of land, of fencing, the better econ
omizing of food, the better condition
and comfort of the animals, the greatly
increased amount of manure, and at
least an equal product of milk as COM
pared with the best pastures, all of
which are considerations that the farmer
will know how to appreciate.
Let us look at this matter little
more closely; and first as to the saving
of land. II is calculated by persons
competent to judge, that in practicing
the soiling system, only from one to two
acres are required to furnish food for
an ordinary-sized COW year, while on
our average Vermont farms, at least the
product of five acres of pasture and
meadow will be required for the same
purpose.
Prof. Z. W. Stewart, of Cornell Uni
yersity, stated at the meeting of the
Dairymens' Association at Burlington
that he first commenced by soiling his
team horses, and he found II took only
one-sixth of the land required before to
keep them.
The Hon. Josiah Quincy, of Massa-
chusetts, may be said to be the pioneer
of the system of soiling in this country,
having first written upon the subject in
1919, and is the author of an excellent
treatise that Is quoted as standard au-
thority, whenever reference is had to
the questions under consideration. He
practiced this system of soiling extern
sively, that is, devoted his entire farm
Of 1855 acres to this purpose, thus being
enabled to dispose of the interior fences.
costing not less than $1,000, and de-
handing an annual outlay of $50 to keep
In repair, to say nothing of the amount
of land occupied by these fences. the
increased protection given to briars,
weeds and vermin, and the greater diff
Aculty in blowing and cultivating small
fields, In comparison with large ones.
The same authority also saws in relation
10 the manure, that the increased GUAM
tity and quality compensated fully for
the labor of raising, cutting and bring
70 r. Ia hA Al
same, and currying aud other care of
the COWS.
Mr.. \. W. thccVcr. OF the New Enr-
Land Farmer, said at Burlington. in his
paper on soiling, that paSturing will do
III comparatively new country, but is
too expensive for a higher stage The
farms OF vermont can support four
times as much stock as at present, and
four times the present population.
Prof. Wetherill, Ofthe American Gull
tivator, says, i'll an article in that paper
on soiling, after deducing from the ex-
periencc of Others in relation to the
amount of land required to support a
COW year by this system of feeding,
that 1t may be inferred that man own
ing thirty acres of good arabic land,
may summer and winter fifteen mich
cows thereon, with less labor and more
profit than many farmers are now get
ting from three times as many acres,
and upwards.
Mr.. Quincy, in answering the ques-
ton, What farmers will find it most
profitable to engage in soiling, replied:
every farmer that wants manure at a
cheap and easy rate. The greatest prof
it arises from the quantity Of manure it
enables him to make, more than doub-
ling 1t from the same stock"
Now it will be readily understood by
farmers that this system of soiling can
not be protitably pursued unless they
have fields that are easily plowed and
cultivated, and can be well MANFRED, so
as to produce large crops. OF course
theec two last will naturally follow after
this system is fairly inaugurated.
There arc other things to be consid-
cred i'll connection with soiling. The
cows should be fed and kept most of
the time in stable Or inclosure. This
will necessitate much care and attention
In feeding, watering, and keeping the
animals clean. The stable must be kept,
so far as possible, cool and well-venti-
lated during the warm weather, for the
comfort of the COWS and the production
ofpure and wholesome milk. Plenty
of bedding must be used, which will
help to subserve the purposes named
and help TO augment the manure heap,
which is question of first considera-
ton.
The question will arise as to what
crops can best be employed for soiling
purposes, and the order in which they
are to be raised and fed.
Where winter rye can be grown, this
will be the first crop that can be pro-
dnced, 10 feed at the commencement of
the soiling season. This grain should
be sown thicker than when intended to
ripen the seed, so as to obtain the larg-
est amount of fodder possible from the
land. II should be fed before the grain
approaches any degree of maturity, and
will last for some length of time, after
which the land can be MANFRED and de-
voted TO late crop, either spring rye,
barley or oats, 10 be fed late In the sea-
con.
Succeeding the feeding of rye, rcd
clover or orchard grass, or both COM
bined, will come in order and will last
until an early-sown crop of barley OF
oats have reached the proper stage OF
growth to commence feeding.
These crops can be sown at different
times during the spring, so as to afford
supply at all times, while any over
Plus can be harvested for winter use
As early in the season as possible, soil
ing corn should be planted or sown in
drills, and this operation should be re.
peated several times, at intervals of q
week or ten lays, in order 10 afford 8
succession of fodder of the best quality
for milk-producing purposes.
Selling corn can be used until frosts
make their appearance, previous tC
which any left standing should be re-
cured.
On newly-seeded clover fields sec
ond crop may generally be cut, and es
pecially ifa dressing of manure is APP
piled.
Late crops of rye, barley or oats may
he sown 10 prolong the season unti