278 THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



animals can be supported on a given area by soiling as 

 by grazing. 



Again, grazing is wasteful because of the imperfect 

 consumption of the growth that is made. Much grass 

 is tramped down and much is fouled with dung and 

 urine. These facts are well understood. Other advan- 

 tages besides economy of land and material pertain to 

 soiling, such as saving of fences, comfort of the animals 

 and an increased supply of manure, but these factors do 

 not require discussion in this connection. 



375. Selection of soiling-crops. — Outside of consid- 

 erations previously noted, productiveness especially, the 

 dairy farmer in selecting soiling-crops must have regard 

 chiefly to the number of animals to be fed, the time when 

 the crops will be needed, and the nmnber of, days required 

 for their development. If soiling is adopted in order to 

 amend the pasture during the late summer and early fall, 

 a limited nmnber of crops will meet the demand. Three 

 sowings of peas and oats in late May and early June and 

 two plantings of corn, one at the usual time and one two 

 weeks later, would fiu-nish a supply of green food when it 

 is most likely to be needed. If it is a question of selecting 

 crops for a system of complete soiling, nothing more 

 suggestive can be offered as, to species and succession 

 than schemes prepared by Phelps for Connecticut, and 

 by Voorhees for New Jersey; 



