224 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



example may be quoted : Twelve cows when changed from 

 rye and vetches fodder to rye and pea fodder gave an increased 

 yield of i8 gallons per week, although there should have been 

 a fall due to the advancing period of lactation. When the 

 fodder was changed to barley and vetches there was a sharp 

 fall in the yield. Cows kept on the soiling system milk much 

 better during the late summer, autumn and winter months 

 than cows kept in the ordinary way, but the system cannot 

 compare in milk production with grass feeding during the 

 months of May and June. 



ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS 



When the experiment was commenced at the Harper- 

 Adams College there was practically no information available 

 as to the most suitable methods of management of arable land 

 having the maintenance of stock as its main object. Since 

 the commencement of this experiment improvements have 

 been made in the methods practised, and the scheme now in 

 operation can be relied on to provide the necessary succession 

 of forage, and is not more risky than other forms of arable 

 farming ; but experience has shown that to make the arable 

 dairy farm a commercial success the produce must be put on 

 the market during the period of high prices. It must be 

 admitted that the arable dairy farmer cannot produce milk 

 during May and June so cheaply as the grassland farmer, but 

 he can produce it at a lower cost during the winter months. 

 The arable dairy farmer who produced his maximum output 

 during the glut period would not make a big profit. No 

 system can compete with grass during May and June. The 

 system of management outlined above is proved to be sound, 

 but it would seem desirable in the light of experience to 

 introduce modifications for general application. A very great 

 increase in the national agricultural output could be secured 

 by adopting the plan outlined in the diagram. Natural grass, 

 mown for hay, is one of the weakest links in our farming, and 

 might profitably be eliminated ; the hay required being pro- 

 duced on the arable land, where three times the weight can 



