22 CONTINUOUS CROPPINO 



As to what is possible on our own soil in this direction 

 I am greatly indebted to Captain Sir John Keane, of 

 County Waterford, Ireland (who farms his land on the 

 continuous-cropping system), for the following informa- 

 tion : 



This gentleman broke up some wild mountainy land 

 and sowed on it tares for summer soiling. As the 

 results of very carefully kept accounts he found in the 

 summer of 1914 that bullocks fed entirely upon this 

 forage crop increased in live weight, over a period of 

 approximately six weeks from June ist to July 8th, at 

 the rate of 3 lb. per bullock per day. 



Continuing his investigations during the summer of 

 1915, he ascertained that seventeen and a half statute 

 acres of green oats and vetches produced 14,686 daily 

 rations of green food. This is equal to 840 rations per 

 acre, which, again, is equal to the rations for twenty- 

 eight head of cattle for one month. 



Simple as these facts may appear, they contain the 

 nucleus of great economic changes. Many economists 

 and agriculturists labour under the delusion that prime 

 grazing land is essential for the production of summer 

 beef ; but even our primest grazing land will not 

 provide more food per acre than is necessary for one 

 beast, whilst with secondary land, two and three acres 

 are often required for summer pasture. Whilst on even 

 the best grazing land a live-weight increase of 9 stone 

 per beast in six weeks is unheard of. 



Farmers who have been in the habit of grazing cattle 

 in summer may imagine that some pasture is essential 

 for the sake of giving the cattle exercise. In the 

 Continental countries previously referred to, however, 

 no such allowance is made ; cattle are always either 

 tethered or kept indoors. 



Even under our ordinary farming conditions cattle 

 are usually confmed in the house during the winter 



