Ko. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 391 



Couvenieiice and cleanliness are the waicli wurds of the dairy- 

 man. Clean cattle, clean milkers, clean dairy barn and clean vessels 

 stand for clean milk. For no strainer will strain dirt out of milk. 

 The soilinjj of the dairy animal means cleanliness, she must be cur- 

 ried for the sake of health as well as cleanliness. And strict at- 

 tention must be given to all sanitary regulations in caring for milk 

 according to our modern civilization. 



After all these years of experience in soiling, nothing would in- 

 duce a return to the old system of rotation and pasture. By soiling, 

 the acreage of the fifteen acre farm is increased at least four times. 

 The product of the dairy is coveted, because there is never any 

 llavor of grass, weeds, garlic or any foreign taint imparted to the 

 product of the dairy. 



The cows have a longer period of lactation largely accounted for 

 on account of regular supply of water, food and attention. There 

 are now in vogue two sj-sstems of soiling. The one is the growing 

 of the green crops in the field and having them come in succession so 

 that there is an abundance of green food at least for seven months in 

 the year in the climate around Philadelphia. The other, and the one 

 most likely to be adopted and is a real boon to the large farms as 

 well as the small, and is entirely practical for both, is the soiling of 

 green crops for summer use as well as winter. The silo has been the 

 indispensible factor on the fifteen acre farm since 1882. An aban- 

 doned chicken house on the little farm was converted into a prima- 

 tive silo to store the succulent food of summer for the Jerseys. It 

 was a venture to risk money, time and machinery twenty years ago, 

 when every one was laughing at the silo and the book farmer, but 

 to-day the earnest inquiry is how can I get one? There are now two 

 sixty ton silos on the same little farm. 



The advantages in soiling are so numerous in the experience of the 

 writer that he has concluded that no man but a rich man can afford 

 to pasture a cow. Pasture is wasteful, soiling economic. 



Pasture is like killing an ox for his liver, soiling is the saving and 

 using of the entire animal. The animal on pasture has one mouth to 

 eat and four feet to tramp. In dry weather, the grass is pulled out 

 by the root, in wet weather is tramped into the mud. 



Fences long ago were abandoned as expensive and useless, in this 

 ifem alone much has been anually saved. 



The acres are the same to-day on the little farm, but the crops have 

 increased bej-ond the ov>ner's most sanguine expectation. The same 

 farm twenty years ago on which one horse and two cows were kept 

 and some hay bought to supply the food deficiency. This last year I 

 wintered 10 cows in milk, 1 Jersey bull four years old, 4 heifers two 

 years old, and 10 head of young stock ranging from 15 months down 

 to :{ weeks, and two horses. All hays, bedding and silage were, last 



