202 FEEDING ANIMALS. 



much more than another of the same weight, requires 

 more food to balance the account. It is very easy in soil- 

 ing to add a small grain ration, and this is especially 

 necessary if green corn is fed, for this food is not rich 

 enough in albuminoids to feed alone for any considerable 

 length of time. It should be fed with some nitrogenous 

 grain or feed, such as wheat-bran, oats, oil-meal, or pea- 

 meal, clover, peas, or millet. But it is easy, when soiling 

 is undertaken systematically, to grow a variety of crops, 

 so that corn need seldom be fed alone. When cows are 

 properly soiled, they yield a much more uniform quantity 

 of milk through the whole season, and thus produce a 

 larger aggregate yield. 



It is better to have pure running water within reach of 

 the cow as she stands in stable, or, at least, in a trough in 

 the manger, which may be opened for her twice or more 

 per day. 



We regard it as important also to place cows upon a 

 self-cleaning iron platform, because, standing so much in 

 stable, it is very difficult to keep them clean in any other 

 way. This self-cleaning stable was illustrated and de- 

 scribed on pages 97 to 101. It is not expensive, and is so 

 durable that it will save its cost in labor many times over. 

 Cows may be soiled in rack, under a shed, as described 

 for feeding cattle, and milked in the yard, as many 

 dairymen still do; but the stable is preferable, for the 

 reasons given above. 



SOILING SHEEP. 



Some will regard soiling sheep as quite impracticable, 

 thinking that these animals cannot bear the necessary con- 

 finement. A single small field will not do for sheep to run 

 on, as for cattle ; and, hence, they think sheep cannot be 

 soiled. But this opinion is not well founded. They may 

 be soiled as safely as any other stock. It is only necessary 



