32 FORAGE CROPS 



2. In wet spells, it is frequently difficult to 

 harvest and cart the food to the animal, without 

 injury to the land, and without reducing the 

 palatability of the forage, although this also 

 applies in part to pasturing. 



COST OF NUTRIENTS IN SOILING CROPS 



It is difficult to establish definite relations 

 between the cost of food in soiling and in pasture, 

 owing to the wide variety of conditions that occur. 

 In the first place, in many soiling systems it is 

 possible to utilize catch- crops (those grown between 

 times, or incidental to other crops) at relatively little 

 cost or to very great advantage. In other cases, 

 in order that the continuity of supply of food may 

 not be broken in complete soiling systems, it may 

 be necessary to expend relatively large amounts 

 for fertilizers, manures and seeds. On the other 

 hand, in the case of the pasturing in many of the 

 rougher sections of the country, land can be uti- 

 lized that could not be profitably tilled, thus ena- 

 bling the growing of suitable crops by the one 

 system which would not be possible by the other. 

 If land is expensive, and the markets for dairy 

 products are good, the cost of nutrients per animal 

 is relatively much less with soiling than with pas- 

 turage, largely because of the decrease in the 

 capital necessary to provide the land. 



