Year: 1873

SOILING AND HOW TO START.


"A Pennsylvania farmer furnishes the
N. Y. Tribune the following timely
suggestions on this topic:-lt has been
shown that soiling enables the agricul-
turist to keep more stock in proportion
to the extent of his farm, and that the
number may, with best management,
amount to one head per acre. This re-
suit is attained by increasing the pro-
~duce of the soil and prevent the least
waste of the produce. 1t has further
been shown that the fertility Of the
land thus used is increased year by
year and productive capacity brought
up to maximum. Also, that the pro.
duce of the cattle thus fed, whether it
be milk, cheese, butter or beef, is
largely increased. It is found, too,
that these results are brought about
with the expenditure of less labor in
proportion to the yield: as each acre
yields for the same amount Of standard
work in plowing, narrowing, sowing
and cultivating four or five times the
produce commonly raised at the same
time less money is sunk in the land. or
the money sunk therein yields great
ly increased rate of interest. for each
acre yields the produce of four on the
ordinary system. Lastly, it is only
rarely that land is suitable tor profitable
pasturing; rich pasture land is scarce
and valuable, while any land may be
adapted for a system Of soiling, and
may be brought up to its requirements.


These things being true, it remains
to be seen what is nessessary to be un-
dertaken to commence the system. An
early start. in the fall is imperative.
The stable must be remodeled and the
manure tank and heap must bearran-
ged. This is the key to the whole po-
sition, and if this is neglected defeat is
certain There must be means provi-
ded for saving the liquid manure,
which should be drained into tank in
the barn-yard or into cemented basin,
where it may be absorbed by the solid
manure or by muck, or sawdust, or any
other equivalent. The most complete
economy in manure must prevail, both
as to quantity and quality. Then there
must be selected piece of meadow Of
clover and timothy, if possible of, say
two acres, which will be sufficient to
furnish the feed for ten COWS during
June. These two acres. if in good
heart and we'll top-dressed during the
fall with fine manure, or 300 pounds Of
guano, will feed the ten cows month
on the first cutting alone. Then two
acres will need to be plowed and sub
soiled, if possible, and richly manured
and sown by the first week in Septem.
Der, or as soon as may be, with rye, to
be cut as soon as ready in April.
Then three acres ought to be we'll ma.
nured, plowed and prepared, so that
part of it may be sown to oats and peas
as early as possible in the spring.


This will close up the work to be
done this fall, unless it be that some
thing may be done toward getting sup
ply of water in the barn-yard for the
stock, unless there is near by stream OF
spring to which they can be driven
twice day for water aud exercise.
Then through the winter the farmer
must cultivate his own ideas, for this
system needs much thought, calculation
and management for success, and there
will be much to do next season that
must be thought out and well under
stood from this time until then. It
would pay him to invest dollar or two
in one Of the several excellent works
which treart more fully Of this subject.


BLINDING A RUNAWAY.


It is a mistake to suppose, as some
have done, that all animals when angry,
frightened or panicked," shut their