30 FORAGE CROPS 



SOILING VERSUS PASTURING 



The chief advantages and disadvantages of 

 soiling, as compared with pasturing, have been 

 pointed out by many writers, and special points 

 are alluded to in succeeding chapters ; but it may 

 be well to consider the question briefly at this 

 time, as the subject is not well understood, and 

 its importance is not appreciated as it should be. 



Among the advantages of the soiling system, 

 the following are important: 



1. A larger quantity of food may be secured from 

 the same land under soiling systems than under 

 pasturage. It has been shown by many careful 

 experiments that one acre of land in soiling crops 

 will maintain from two to four cows per acre dur- 

 ing the growing season, or practically from May 1 

 to November 1 in the latitude of Pennsylvania. 



2. The food may be made more uniform in 

 quantity and in quality when cut and carried to 

 the animals, and fed in the barn or paddock, than 

 when the animals are allowed to select their own. 

 Under exclusive pasturage systems, animals are 

 frequently unable to obtain a full supply; thus 

 their food fluctuates both in quantity and quality, 

 and the varying conditions do not permit of the 

 full and constant flow of milk. Animals cannot be 

 kept to their full capacity throughout the year 

 unless they are uniformly and abundantly supplied 

 with food. ' 



