172 SOILING OF CATTLE. 



value of feed, by bringiog in the finer grasses, such as 

 while clover, &c. 



Sheep require no water in their pastures ; it is also 

 said that calves should have none : and, horses require but 

 little, except wnen they are worked. The effect of this 

 treatment is, that they become habituated to iie by in 

 the heat of the day, and feed at night, when the dew is 

 on the grass, which renders it more nouri^^hing. Cows, 

 however, must have water: and where it is scare..', the 

 farmer may select some small stream, spring, or pond, 

 or large trough, supplied from some neighbouring spring, 

 and divide the pasture so as to have four or more in- 

 closures centre in, or upon the brook, pond, or reser- 

 voir ; in this way lifty or sixty acres may be supplied 

 with water. But if there is no water, the best way is 

 to sink a well at that spot where the pasture lots corner 

 together ; and then by a lirtle cheap wind-machinery, 

 the trough may'be filled as often as necessary. In pas- 

 tures which are on the sides of hills, water may be ea- 

 sily obtained, by digging horizontally into the hill tiU 

 you come to it, and then carrying it out in a pi[>e. An- 

 other method is, to dig a well on a steep part of the hill, 

 and place a syphon in it, with bO small a pipe that it 

 will not let off the water fast enough to exhaust it in 

 the well. 



'■ Lastly, as a matter of ornament, profit, and shade for 

 cattle, let your pastures be planted with a few useful 

 trees; and prohably, for this purpf;se, the locust will be 

 most suitable for dry, and the sugar-maple for moist 

 lands. 



SOILING OF CATTLE. 



By this is meant, the feeding of stock in a house, 

 shed, or fold, during the growing season, with grass, &:c. 

 cut and carried in to them. It is particularly recom- 

 mended for miich cows, working horses, and oxen, and 

 for fatting cattle ; and it has been found to answer well 

 for swine. 



It is observed by Mr. Quincy^ of Massachusetts, that 

 there are six distinct advantages, which those, who ad- 

 vocate soiling, propose to themselves by the practice, 

 and on which they establish the preference of this mode 

 to the common one of pasturing cattle during the sum- 

 mer. 



