422 HAXDT-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



several years in this way, " he never had an animal essentially 

 sick, had never one die, and had never one miscarry." 



The product of milk^ as is very ably stated by Mr. Quincy, is 

 greater throughout the whole season than under the system of 

 pasturing, although there is no doubt that during the few weeks 

 that follow the first turning out of hay-fed animals on to luxuriant 

 and tempting pastures, the production of the field-fed cows is 

 larger than that of the stall-fed ones ; but this excess very soon 

 dwindles to an equality, and then falls below the soiling point. 

 The early ripening of meadow-grasses, renders them soon less 

 nutritious and less tempting ; and especially the pinching effect of 

 long-continued drought reduces the average yield of pastures dur- 

 ing the whole season considerably below what it would be, if, from 

 the first opening of spring until the closing in of winter, there 

 were never a day when the food was not ample and regularly ad- 

 ministered. In pasturing we must either have so small a stock 

 as not to be able to make full use of the growth of the early 

 summer, or, if we are able to consume that entirely, must see 

 our larger herds suffer for the want of abundant food during the 

 season of less luxuriant growth. 



The attainment of manure^ which is so greatly facilitated by 

 the soiling system, may be regarded as second in importance only 

 to the saving of land. Indeed, it is to this effect of soiling that 

 what is technically known as "high farming" looks for its 

 greatest support. Of course, with a given amount of food, 

 animals make a given amount of dung, and whether they eat that 

 food in the fields or in the house makes no difference in this re- 

 gard. But in the field the dung is dropped with great irregularity, 

 and principally on those parts which, from shelter, shade, dryness 

 during wet weather, or other causes, are chiefly selected by the 

 animals for their resting-places. So far as the dropping of manure 

 during the feeding-time of the animals is concerned, more will 

 fall upon the rich land than upon the poor ; and it is impossible, 

 in any ordinary system of pasturing, to secure any thing like an 

 even distribution of the voidings of the stock. In addition to this, 

 a very large proportion of the value of the manure, especially 



