The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-03-28

! Thos. Whitaker. of Massachusetts,,
writing to the New York Tribune in re-
ply to an inquiry as to soiling, not only
answers the questions, but his reply is a
condensed essay on soiling in general,
and a conclusive argument in its faver.
He says:
/ Among letters which a former article
| in the Tribune has brought me, is one
from Columbia county, n. Y, asking
about the practicability of attemptin G
to keep, by the soiling system, twelve
cows, bull, two or three calves or year
lings, and pair of horses on "about
forty-five acres of fairly good, cultivated
land" The writer had last year only a
little more than half this stock. and
found the autumn pasturage scanty. He
thinks that zone ought to keep at least
a dozen cows to make soiling profitable,
as the labor would be nearly as much
with half of that number" and adds
that he "sowed last fall one and one-half
bushels of nice clover" l haven't a
doubt about the practicability of his
keeping the stock named, by soiling. |
stock even heavier per acre than he
would. | should not soil yearlings, or a
bull, or cows that are dry; these can be
kept much cheaper on pasture, because
they require no attention, and | think it
would be better for them. But cows in
milk can be kept cheaper on the soiling
system than in pasture, manure and
everything considered.
! l thinkh he is correct in calculating that
the labor would be nearly as much to cut
| feed, ETC., for six cows as for twelve If
he manage properly he would have no
trouble about winter feed. think there
would be no trouble about soiling twelve
cows on six acres of good land. He has
sown more rye than his cows can eat be-
| fore it becomes so woody that they will
reject it. l should advise sowing, on
another acre and a half, spring rye and
oats or barley, just as soon as the land is
in fit condition to put in the seed. Then,
early in May begin to SOW corn in drills,
which will be ready to feed by the time
the spring oats and rye are fed out; if
not, than feed some of the clover Sow
the corn at different times, so that it will
come on at different times The winter
rye, spring rye and oats will be fed out
by the first of July; plough these three
acres, and harrow in little manure or
much, just as he has supply; SOW this
with Hungarian grass seed, using not less
than three bushels of seed; this can be
made into hay about the middle of Sep
TENDER, and he will have about five tons.
If he plants any early potatoes and peas,
even if no more than a quarter of an
acre, when they are off-which will be
about the first of August-sow golden
millet; this will be ready to feed green
toward the last of September, when the
corn begins to give out.
In August he might plough up little
sod land where the grass was beginning
to run out, and SOW on this some oats or
barley, which would be excellent good
fodder in October. If he should seed
down with grass in August, and SOW a
little fiat turnip seed, the turnips can be
fed in November, tops and bottoms; and
if he sow mangolds, carrots and ruta-
the tops for fodder the last of October.
/ should not feed clover till it was in
blossom, and after this plan it would not
be necessary. He can SOW winter rye
where he had corn, and in the spring sow
barley or oats with clover where he had
Hungarian in the fall, and follow the
clover with Hungarian, which will come
off the list of August, in time to put in
grass seed. In soiling, | find oats and
barley excellent articles for fodder,
either green or cut in blossom and dried
the same as hay. l get as much milk
from them as from the best English hay,
and | think little more from Hun
garian hay. feed more of these three
than of English hay, and always have
few tons of clover, which, if well made,
is excellent fodder. | should advise
feeding a little shorts and cornmeal both
winter and summer.