ii6o 



Soiling Experiment. 



[mar., 



into eight plots, each plot producing forage to supply lo cows 

 14 to 21 days. Such an arrangement provided a continuous 

 supply of fresh green fodder throughout the summer. Five 

 of the eight plots were ploughed up and planted with cabbage 

 immediately the first crops were olf the ground, that is to 

 sa-y, at intervals from Ma}^ to September, the remaining three 

 plots being sown with mixtures in the autunm to provide the 

 first crops for the following year. The soiHng succession of 

 crops on the eight plots was mixtures of the following : — 

 (i) giant rye, winter vetches ; (2) giant rye, field peas ; (3) 

 winter oats, winter barley, winter vetches ; (4) wheat, winter 

 vetches ; (5) oats, field peas ; (6) barley, field peas, vetches, 

 field beans, oats ; (7) oats, field peas ; and (8) maize. 



Diiring the summer period the green fodder crops were fed 

 to the cows, with the addition of pea and oat hay ; the second 

 crops, viz., cabbages, were fed from October to February, in 

 conjimction with pea and oat hay, and, finally, mangolds and 

 pea and oat hay were used from February to May. 



The cows kept in good condition on the food, and gave 

 high yields of milk when consuming only 70 lb. of fodder per 

 head per day, while it was found that, in the case of certain 

 crops, they w^ould eat as much as 120 lb. per day. From 80 lb. 

 to 90 lb. seems to be all that is actually required under ordinary 

 circumstances. When fodder is abundant it is advisable to 

 give the cows all they will eat. 



As regards yields of milk, in the summer of 191 7 499 gal. 

 were obtained per acre, as against 198 gal. from similar land 

 in grass. In 191 8 13 cows kept on the system throughout 

 the year consumed the produce of 15 J acres, including 7 acres 

 of pea and oat hay and i acre of mangolds. Cake and meal 

 at the rate of 4 lb. per head per day were supplied in addi- 

 tion. The yield of milk per cow during the year worked out 

 at 625 gal., and 548 gal. per acre for the land involved. 



The experiments appear to show that a succession of fodder 

 crops can be grown on arable land, which v/ill maintain milch 

 cows in perfect health and profit throughout the year without 

 the employment of any grass land whatever. 



Cows kept on the soiling system without any grazing and 

 with the minimum of exercise, milk well and keep in good con- 

 dition. The calves produced are healthy and grow well. 



It also appears that land under forage crops practically 

 cleans itself of weeds and can be successfully farmed without 

 the rotation system. The soiling system is financially sound, 



