The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-04-27


time and labor on his meadows in order
to get them into more suitable condi-
ton for a successful and profitable cult
walton. and the pastures have been left
to care for themselves.
Now, If system of soiling were to be
adopted, what would be done with these
pasturcsl a comparatively small part
might be fitted for meadow at no very
great expense, another part, as LOVELY
ing and wet lands, might be made into
valuable fields, especially for grass, but
at an expense for draining, blowing,
etc, that most farmers would not care
to undertake, at least until they have
succeeded in putting their older mead
ows into shape to produce more salts
factory results, while by far a larger
part is too rough and rocky to admit of
any idea of reducing to state of culti-
walton, hence must remain indefinitely
in pretty much their present condition.
will say this much here, that 1t
seems very strange to me that our an
cestors should ever have Invested por-
ton of their farms of the timber with
any idea that the land would possess any
value for agricultural purposes. If such
lands. principally pastures, could how
be induced to produce growth of tim
Der, ii would be altogether the most
profitable use TO which they could be
put. This would, if practicable, dis
pose of considerable area, and render
the introduction of the soiling system
more easy and certain.
If we could be assured that our past
ures in general produce a fair crop of
such grasses as are best calculated to
promote good flow of milk, I think
there would be little inducement for the
average Vermont farmer to practice
soiling through the principal part of the
season, as / think it will be allowed that
no kind of feed or system of feeding will
produce better results as regards the
quantity and quality of milk and butter
or cheese than ar abundance of good
pasture grasses and pure water.
But the complaint is becoming quite
general that our pastures are failing
that they do not produce as much feed
as formerly, the fine nutritious grasses
that, when the land was comparatively
new, covered the surface as with mat,
are gradually disappearing, and moss,
brakes and noxious weeds are taking
their places. The farmer sees this, he
cannot avoid it if he would, and the que
ry is an ever-present one--what shall
be done with these fields?
1t is plain that something must be
done with our pastures to restore their
original fertility, or quite portion will
soon become nearly or entirely value
less. AS stated before, q part will nee
essarily have to remain in pasture, and
must be improved i'll some way by re-
seeding. top-dressing or change of stock.
Some portions will admit Of or can be
prepared for cultivation, and then can
be plowed, MANFRED and put down
again to grass. and either kept as pas
turc or meadow.
Bnt the question arises right here.
where is the manure TO come from: as
not one farmer in fifty, or hundred
perhaps has enough TO put his meadow
in condition to produce MAXIMUM
crops, 10 say nothing of his pastures.
Aud this, permit me to say, is bringing
Us back TO the question Of soiling, as
one OF the chief advantages claimed for
this system is the manufacture of a
greatly increased amount of manure,
which, as it is all saved, can be applied
where wanted. Ii it should not be
practicable for the farmers of this state
in general 10 adopt the system of soiling
Tor the entire season. yet think that
change from the present method of sum-
mering cows might be adopted with adj
vantage. 1t is becoming quite general
to feed fodder corn during the autumn
months, and by some in August to keep
up the flow of milk and the good condi-
ton OF the cows as the grass in the past
ures begin to fail. This is found to he
profitable and is gaining in favor among
the farmers, although the cows are ONLY
partially fed and allowed to run on the
fields during the day, instead of being
kept where the manure can be saved.
Now think we might 60 a little fur
Their in this direction and do better.
If it is profitable to feed to n limited
extent during the fall months, should
we not find it for our interest to increase
the amount given and keep the COWS
entirely from the meadows, which is a
custom condemned in theory but fol-
lowed III practice by far too many farm
ers, causing permanent and, perhaps
| might say, increasing loss in the pro-
duction of grass for hay. Ifthought ad.
visable, the cows might be allowed to
run upon field during the day for the
purpose of manuring it with their drop
pings, but keeping them in stable at
night and feeding them there. During
the best OF the season the cows mipbt
have the run of such pastures as are
found impracticable to convert into
meadows, and as a system of selling.
even followed in this manner, would
soon admit of an increase in the number
of animals kept, il would doubtless be
found convenient and necessary to de-
pend less upon the pastures, and TO de-
vote more land to the production of
soiling crops. In this way gradually all
of the farm suitable for the purpose
would be brought under cultivation,
and II is to be hoped to the production
of better crops than at present.
am aware that objections will be
urged against system of soiling on &C
count of the increased amount of labor
and care that will be required to render
it successful, but if by this means q
greater profit can be realized from
farming, and at the same time the un-
slightly pastures turned into fruitful
fields, aud the entire farm rendered
more productive, it will certainly be a
kind of labor that will possess a good
degree of satisfaction in performing and
that Will pay, which will be a first point
of consideration by many.
To the owners of small farms, COM
posed principally of arabic land, and The
mechanic or professional man with only
few acres, a system of soiling will
readily commend itself, and if properly
followed cannot fail of being attended
with the most satisfactory results to
those Immediately interested, and will
tend to do away with much of the pref
udice that might be INDUCED in by
many farmers upon the subject under
consideration.
But | must draw this already long
paper to close, and do il with the
feeling that have been able TO throw
but little light upon subject not very
generally understood by the farmers OF
this state, and can only hope that the
not very closely connected ideas may
serve TO stimulate thought in the matter,