Reflecting upon the advantages of this practice, it has often occurred to us, that cattle, r. oxen and cows of all sorts, might be supported and fed in like manlier during the whole of the grass season. It is well known that mulch-cows have, in several instances, been so kept ; hut it has rarely happened, that other of cattle have been fed for the butcher according to this mode, though it is perfectly practicable. No doubt a considerable degree of trouble necessarily attends the measure, but this is an objection that may be urged against every scheme for improvement. It was urged against summer-fallow at its introduction, and is still urged in several districts against the drilling of turnips. If the advantages, however, which would attend a gene ral soiling, exceed the trouble which it occasions, we apprehend the measure is not to be combated on this ground.
Let any person, for a moment, view a field of grass depastured with cattle, especially if the weather is wet, and he will soon be convinced of the great loss sustained from the feet of the animals, and of the waste which is made in consequence of their roaming at large. Per haps it may be estimated, that in general cases, near one half of the grass is, by this means, rendered use less ; at least we are certain, from feeding milch-cows in the house, that one half of the extent of land will suffice for house-feeding, that is required when depas turing is practised. Probably another advantage would follow. The land, from being covered with grass, would not only produce an increased quantity, hut also be great ly benefited by the exclusion of air before the grass was cut or removed. When depastured, it is obvious, that none of these things can happen. If the grass was eaten any thing bare in the beginning of the season, its future growth must be stopped by the drought which usually prevails in the early part of summer; and when the ground is not fully covered with plains, the benefit of the grazing system, towards the improvement of land, is only partially experienced.
But the chief benefit of soiling may be considered as arising from the immense quantity of fine dung which would thus be accumulated, and which can be returned to the ground in the succeeding season, after being pro perly fermented and prepared. In all corn farms, at least those of clay soils, it is a work of great diflicultysto rot the straw produced upon it ; and much of it is misap plied in consequence of such soils being naturally unfit for raising green winter crops. A sense of this has in duced many farmers to attempt turnips in situations not qualified for raising them with profit; but even these attempts, though in some respects useful, by converting a part of the straw into dung, do not fully answer the in tended purpose. The superfluity which remains after the turnip season is over, (and this upon corn farms often exceeds a third of the crop,) is seldom used in a benefi cial way. If stacked in the yard, it is bleached and dried by the sun and wind ; and when used in the next season, is found to be unfit for the support of animals, being divested of the powers which it originally possessed. If
a numerous stock of cattle were kept either in the house, or in separate divis;ons of the fold-yard, all the scraw thrashed in the summer months might be immediately converted into dung,the quality of which would be equal, not so pc) ior, to hat is made front turnips consumed at the stake.
To carry on this mode of feeding in a regular way, it would be necessary to have a considerable quantity of tares sown at diffCrent times, so that the interval betwixt the first and second crop of clover might he tilled up. Perhaps early sown turnips might prove an useful substitute. A stack of hay would also be neces sary, in the event of had weather setting in, or circum stances occurring to prevent a regular supply of green food.
From considering the time taken to cut and bring home grass for farm horses, we are led to think, that one man and a boy, with a single horse cart, would be able to supply thirty head of ordinary sized cattle with cut grass, if the crop was middling good, say one that would yield two hundred stones of hay per acre, and the distance of the field from the homestead not exceed ing half a mile. If the beasts were tied to a stake, it would require an additional hand to litter and clean them ; hut in small fold-yards, well supplied with wa ter, and provided with a shade to which the animals might retire in a hot sunny day, this mode of feeding would be most eligibly executed. Perhaps the number put into each yard should not exceed six or eight, and they should be as equally matched as possible.
In this way, the farmer of clay soils may be equally benefited by green crops, as those of a light and gravelly nature, where turnips are generally raised. The only difference would be, that they would feed at different seasons, or at the time best suited to the circumstances in which they are placed. Dung, as has been already said, is the mother of good crops ; and it appears that no plan can be devised by which a large quantity can be so easily and cheaply gathered, or by which straw can be so effectually rotted and rendered beneficial to the oc cupier of a clay land farm, as the soiling of grass in the slimmer season. The author of this article here speaks from experience, having practised the soiling system for several years ; and without saying more in its favour, can safely state, that the quantity, and, what is still of greater importance, that the quality of his dung has thereby been greatly extended and improved. In a word, the dung of animals fed upon green clover, may justly be reckoned the richest of all clung. It may, from the circumstances of the season, be rapidly prepared, and may be applied to the ground at a Very early period, much earlier than any other sort of dung can be used with aavantage. The subject will afterwards be noticed, when the management of grass land is under considera tion, and the advantages arising from it, will be more particularly described.