SOILING AND PASTURING. i^y 



such as clover, rye, oats, and sowed corn. Where labor is still 

 cheaper and the land is worked to a still higher degree, it is pos- 

 sible to do even much more than this. But it should be a 

 sufficient argument to say that the ability of a given area of land 

 to support animal life may be, by soiling, increased fourfold. 



This increased ability to supply food is, after all, only one of the 

 many important advantages that soiling offers. The better con- 

 dition of the animals, and the far larger quantity of disposable 

 manure, together with the yearly improving condition of the land 

 itself, both in texture and in richness, are hardly less important. 



In an essay read before the Massachusetts Agricultural Society 

 in 1 819, by Josiah Quincy, several points with reference to the 

 soiling of cattle were very clearly set forth. This essay, and 

 another on the same subject, have recently been republished. * 

 Mr. Qijincy enumerates the following as the chief advantages of 

 soiling : — 



" ist. The saving of land. 

 " 2d, The saving of fencing. 

 *' 3d, The economizing of food. 



" 4th, The better condition and greater comfort of the cattle. 

 " 5th, The greater product of milk. 

 " 6th, The attainment of manure," 

 and, I might add — 



7th, The improvement of the condition of the soil. 



Concerning the saving of land^ the fact alluded to above, that 

 four times as many cattle, or even more, may be kept by soiling 

 as by pasturing, is sufficiently conclusive. Strictly speaking, there 

 is hardly a limit to the production that is possible under the high- 

 est cultivation, but probably under the circumstances of ordinary 

 farming the quadrupled production is all that could be hoped for. 

 And surely this is sufficient to induce any one who can con- 

 veniently do so to keep his stock in this manner. 



The saving of fencing^ which was discussed at length in the chap- 



* Essays on the Soiling of Cattle, etc. By Josiah Quincy. Boston : 1866. 



