GREEN FORAGE AND HAY CROPS 97 



depended upon to furnish green feed for ten to twenty successive 

 days; it is cut when in the best condition for soiling, when still 

 green and palatable, but at a sufficiently late stage of growth to con- 

 tain at least a medium content of dry matter. A large amount of 

 forage may be secured from a relatively small piece of land by this 

 system, viz., three to five times as much dry matter as when the 

 land is pastured. The area required for supplying dairy cows with 

 a succession of green feed for the season, will vary from one-third 

 to one-half acre per cow, according to the crops grown, the soil, the 

 character of the season, etc. 



The succession of soiling crops to be grown, and the details in 

 carrying out either full or partial soiling, will vary greatly accord- 

 ing to climatic conditions and the crops adapted to each locality. 511 



Fig. 13. — The relative expense of producing and feeding soiling crops is considerably greater 

 than in the case of silage. (Wisconsin Station.) 



Partial Soiling. — This is a modified soiling system in which 

 green forage crops are fed supplementary to pasturage at the time 

 when the pastures cannot be depended upon to furnish sufficient feed 

 for the stock, viz., during late spring and, especially, during the late 

 summer and fall months. This system is of the highest value to 

 dairy farmers without silos, and will likely be more generally adopted 

 in the future with the development of our dairying industry. 



Summer Silage. — It has been shown that the soiling system 



"a An extensive literature has been published relating to this system. 

 The following references include the more important experiment station 

 publications bearing on soiling conditions in the various States: 



Conn. (Storrs) Bui. 9; R. 1891, 1895; I. Bui. 15, 19, 23, 27; Cir. 12, 

 34; Kan. Bui. 125; Md. Bui. 98; Mass. R. 1887-1891, 1893; Bui. 72 and 

 133; Mich. Bui. 223; Miss Bui. 95; N. J. Bui. 158; R. 1902; Penn. R. 1889, 

 1904-1905; Bui. 65, 75, 109; S. D. Bui. 81; Utah R. 1892; Bui. 15; Vt. 

 Bui. 158; Wis. R. 1885; Bui. 103, 235; Ont. (Guelph) R. 1890. 



