The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-03-26
Selling Cattle,

The system of green-feeding cattle, or
soiling, consisting in cutting forage crops
aud feeding them to milk COWS and other
stock in stalls or yards, as distinguished
from pasturiug, is not a new one, but tbs
one which, in most localities, gains ground
slowly. The impression prevails that,
whilst there can be no doubt of the econ
omy of the feed and the entire saving Of
all work, that these are more than coun-
terbalanced by the cost of the labor neces-
sary for cutting the crops, hauling them
in and feeding them 10 the cattle. This
view, however, is controverted most strong
ly by those who have most practical expe-
rience with the system. Judge Fuller
ton, who is an eminent lawyer of New
York, but who takes great pride in his
successful and extensive farming opera
lions in that state and Virginia, and who
follows, with an immense herd of milk
cows, this plan entirely, says the expense
of caring for and feeding the cattle is not
as great as supposed, if properly managed.
This part of the business should be en-
trusted to a single person. He should
have his stated times for cutting the food (,
feeding the cattle and cleaning the stables,
and it should be done with the utmost
regularity. 1t will be readily found how
much time it takes to attend to a given
number of cattle, and then it will be
shown what may be properly required of
the person having them in charge.
0na oopAifioy of StaaaSS N fHI met bpd
of feeding cattle must not be overlooked
or its importance underestimatcd. The
land on which the crops are to be raised
must be made rich. Otherwise disap-
poiutment only will follow the essay; but
this matter observed, so that the ground
will at once produce all that it is capable
of, and the result will be to demonstrate
that this is the most economical method
that can be pursued in feeding. Naming
green corn, the first crop of clover and lu-
cerne, or the crop which can safely be re-
lied upon to produce az abundant supply
of food, Judge F. says, only those who fail
to make the necessary preparations 10 ad-
vance will be induced to reinquish the
system.
\ writer in a European agricultural
journal says his experience Of fifty years
has taught him there-where probably
the crops are not so well adapted to soiling
as some Of ours, notably eorn-that regu.
lar soiiing Of cattle is best for the farmer
and for his field, bringing in greater profit
and maintaining the fertility Of the land at
a higher point-that twice as much fodder
car be produced on given surface when
the forage plant is allowed to grow as 4
cultivated crop and reach certain degree
Of maturity, than when as in pastures, il IS
continually cropped of aud trodien down
He believes, as do all the best German
writer's on the subject that the most sue
eessful system Of agriculture 10 the LEM
run is that in which a large quantity Of
stock is kept and fed well, aud careful
rotation of crops is followed, 10 which the
same crop is never put twice in succession
on the same land The suilin. system
makes it easier to carry out the second
part of this programme. aud the greater
variety Of crops that can be raised on a
long rotation provides greater variety Of
fodder for the stock, SO that these two fca-
lures ofthe best modern agricultural prac-
tice work admirably together. The soisiHg
system provides more uniform ration in
respect to quantity, aud avoids much loss
of manure L, may be pretty safely a
firmed that the droppings Of cattle in the
pasture are more than half wasted BY dry
ing in the SUI, or by too strong dosing
with manure in isolated spots here and
there. Where land is cheap and album
dant, aud cannot be pro6iably cultivated
ard carried up to high degree Of fertil-
ity, pasturage over large portion Of the
farm may be allowed. but when high farm
ing pays, pasture land is a POOR invest
uient, and may eat up large part Of the
profits from the cultivated fields