26 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN's ASSOCIATION. 



seed itself. As to cutting early or late, he believed Mc- 

 Lean's theory correct. It should be really ripe, but for 

 milk it should be cut green. 



S. W. KiNGSLEY inquired as to the mode of using 

 clover as a fertilizer. 



C. H. Larkin wanted to know which he could do the 

 cheapest, draw manure three-fourths of a mile, or use clover. 



O. C. DiGGiNS : Would draw the manure. To plow 

 in, was the general mode practiced where clover was used, 



W. W. Bingham thought to spread on a coat of dry 

 straw and plow in, was as good as a coat of manure. After 

 some further discussion of this question — 



No. 2 — " Soiling ; is it profitable to the dairymen of 

 this state ? And to what extent? " was taken up. 



W. W. Bingham: Could not say much on this ques- 

 tion from experience. Had farmed but little. Knew a man 

 who kept sixty cows upon one hundred acres of land by 

 means of soiling. His own plan was to drill in his corn for 

 fodder ; used five bushels of seed per acre, and obtained a 

 very large yield of fodder. Also used oats cut green for 

 soiling. Sowed three bushels per acre. Found this to be 

 good feed for soiling. Kept his cows in the stanchions 

 twenty hours out of the twenty-four. Kept twelve cows 

 on six acres of pasture. His farm contained thirty-six 

 acres. Intended to keep twenty cows as soon as his farm 

 was in a little better condition. Raised nine acres of corn. 

 Bought five tons of bran. The remainder of the feed was 

 raised on the farm. Of good milk, twenty-one pounds was 

 sufificient to make a pound of butter. 



