SOILING OEOPS. 195 



thoroughly cultivated. The sweet corn will then grow ears 

 upon a large proportion of the stalks, and these ears, in 

 the soft state, greatly improve the quality of the food for 

 both fattening and milk production. When thus grown, 

 cattle fatten rapidly upon it, and cows yield milk abun- 

 dantly. Corn is so easily grown, and produces so largely, 

 that dairymen make it the principal green food to sustain 

 their herds upon short pasture. Judicious feeders, when 

 they have no other green food but fodder corn, are in the 

 habit of feeding wheat bran and middlings with the corn 

 fodder, so as to make it a well-balanced food. 



SORGHUM. This is very much of the nature of Indian 

 corn, but contains a slightly larger percentage of albu- 

 minoids ; and, on soils suited to it, as large crops may be 

 grown as of corn. It requires a finer tilth than corn, and 

 more careful attention in the beginning of its growth. It 

 needs to be grown very thick in the drill to prevent the 

 stalks from having a hard, flinty rind. It contains much 

 sugar, which is very digestible and fattening, rendering it 

 also appetizing to the cattle. It grows very tall, and thus 

 yields a great weight, often 30 or more tons per acre. Its 

 curing for winter fodder should not be attempted, as it 

 contains so large a proportion of juice as to render this 

 almost impracticable. 



How TO USE THE GREEN CROP. 



Our farmers are quite too much inclined to confine 

 animals to a single food whilst it lasts, and then take 

 another and feed that in the same way. Under the soil- 

 ing system, as every other system of feeding, the first 

 study should be to give as much variety in the ration as 

 convenience will allow. Winter rye makes a wholesome 

 soiling crop, but it is much better to feed it with clover 

 when that can be done. The two make a better-balanced 

 ration, and the over-succulent clover is modified by the 



