SOILING. 181 



manure to return to the land. This system of summer 

 feeding, with green ensilage for winter feeding, would ren- 

 der the Eastern States wholly independent of meat pro- 

 duced beyond their borders. They could afford to buy 

 Western grain for feeding under such a system; and this 

 would enrich their farms each year and cause their much- 

 needed grain crop to be greatly increased. This system of 

 meat-production would soon settle the question of profit- 

 able farming upon all the arable small farms of the Eastern 

 and Middle States. Much of the land in the Eastern 

 States, now regarded as unprofitable to cultivate, would, 

 under this system, soon produce as much meat per acre as 

 the most favored Western lands, under their system. The 

 abandoned "old homesteads" would again become the scene 

 of a busy and profitable husbandry. France, largely fol- 

 lowing this system, has, of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and 

 swine, about five to every six arable acres; and, besides 

 keeping this large proportion of stock, raises nearly as 

 much wheat as the whole production of the United States 

 in 1880. 



OBJECTIONS TO SOILING. 

 LABOR. 



The chief objection to this system has always been the 

 labor required to carry it out. This extra labor consists, 

 1st, in raising soiling crops producing them in regular 

 rotation, so that there shall be no lack of green food for 

 the animals at all times during the season and, 2dly, in 

 cutting these green crops and carting them to the feeding 

 stable or yard, feeding the animals three or four times per 

 day, cleaning the stable, if one is used, and all the neces- 

 sary details belonging to the system. The objections as to 

 its ill effects upon the health and thrift of the animal, or 

 yield of milk, etc., we have already considered. Let us, 

 then, examine carefully the question of labor. First, the 



