12 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



consequence more of palatability. The food thus 

 grown crowds weeds because of its thickness, and 

 also hinders their development because of the density 

 of the shade. 



Soiling food may be sown at different seasons 

 because of the difference in the habits of the plants 

 thus grown. Several varieties may be sown late. 

 When these varieties are thus sown, ample time is 

 given to sprout and in turn to destroy myriads of 

 weed seeds that may be in the upper section of the 

 tillable soil. In fact, where such cultivation is what 

 it ought to be, the ground will be comparatively clean 

 before the crop is grown or planted. 



As soiling foods are cut while yet immature, the 

 weeds which grow in them have not the same chance 

 to mature as though the crop had been allowed to 

 stand until fully ripe. Notably is this true of soil- 

 ing crops that are sown reasonably early. And when 

 these are removed early in the season, another soil- 

 ing crop, or a catch crop of some kind may be made 

 to follow the first one. This second crop will also 

 be helpful to the cleaning of the land. 



Saving in Land. — Growing soiling foods effects 

 a great saving in land, as it enables the grower to 

 raise much more food from a given area. The sav- 

 ing thus effected is greater relatively in the west and 

 south than in the east and north. This arises from 

 the greater relative adaptability of the east and north 

 to the growing of grass pastures, and from the 

 greater relative adaptability of the west and south 

 to the growing of soiling foods. The extent of the 

 saving will vary with the conditions. But it would 

 not be extravagant to say that ordinarily where 

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