SECRETARY'S REPORT. 215 



and four pigs. The cows were kept entirely on the products of the 

 four acres. A portion of this was not arable, as some trees were 

 growing upon it. 



An inquiry was made of the occupant of a small allotment, "how 

 t was possible to keep two cows, and maintain a family of five per- 

 sons, on only three acres of land." He answered, " The statement 

 you saw was very true : half an acre of pasture, half an acre and 

 eight rods in wheat, and one quarter of an acre in oats ; the other 

 part was green food for the cows ; such as rye, tares, cabbages, 

 clover, mangolds, turnips and Italian ryegrass." Then follows in 

 minute detail, the mode of culture; and he then says, "I hope it 

 now appears how the cows are maintained in winter as well as in 

 summer. During last winter, I had no hay ; only turnips, mangolds, 

 and straw ; and they did very well." 



This is a pretty strong case ; where it is shown that two cows 

 were kept the whole year on the produce of eight rods less than one 

 and three fourths acres of land, with only the addition of a half acre of 

 pasture, and the straw from four fifths of an acre of grain, abating the 

 vegetables consumed from the same land, by a family of five persons. 



In a communication to the British Board of Agriculture, it is 

 stated that thirty cows, one bull, four calves and five horses, were 

 fed through the summer, from fifteen acres of clover, sown the 

 preceding year. The labor of four persons was sufficient to tend 

 them ; and the net produce of the season, in butter, from June to 

 October, was X19.10s. — over ninety-five dollars per cow. Forty 

 animals to fifteen acres, gives sixty square rods (three eighths of an 

 acre) to each. Sixty square rods in clover producing a net income 

 of over ninety-five dollars ! 



On this point, Quincy writes, "It is now six years since I com- 

 menced the soiling system ; and no consideration would induce me 

 to abandon it. Every year brings new convictions of its facility 

 and its productiveness. If farmers would be persuaded to commence 

 the system upon a small scale, with one or two head of cattle, they 

 would gradually become acquainted with it; success would inspire 

 confidence, until, enlarging the number of cattle soiled, they might, 

 in time, easily keep one head per year, for every acre of land they 

 possess. • Greater than this would be the ultimate result of the sys- 

 tem, if wisely conducted." 



