The Delaware register, or, Farmers', manufacturers' & mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1829, 1829-07-25


ing clover and orchard grass seed, submit the follow
ing The proper time to clover Seed is when
thirds Of the heads of the second crop of common
red clover are of darkish brown color. For saving
clover seed the horse and hand comb has been tried
and used by many persons, particularly the kind drawn
by horse, which is contrived to comb the heads
off and leave the stalk and leaves TO the land
for pasture, but is difficult to and decompose
clover heads the long stubbe, without great loss Of
Seed would therefore recommend the crop to be cut
with the scythe, by cutting high to only
the heads upper parts of the stalks II be done
with great despatchleave it to dry day or two, and
then rake the seed-hay into small wnrows, where it
ought to remain from to three weeks, according to
the quantity of rain dews that may fall it
to decompose the cup capsule which contains the
seed thereby lessening the labor Of threshng, tread
ing or milling out the seed. After warm rains care
must be taken to turn open the thckest parts of
these winrows to prevent too much fermentation, which
would destroy the vegeatve part of the Seed and the
same harm may be done by stacking too damp, which
ought to be carefully guarded against. Much seed is
spoiled in this way and requires experience to detect
the injury thus sustained There different ways of
getting out the clover seed the most is with
the fail, or treadng it out by horsesexcept where
there are clover mills made purpose; in that case,
the farmers thresh or tread it oft straw and in bags
they haul it to the MILL where it is milled and cleaned
fit for market at one time got out clover heads suf-
cient to produce ten bushels of seed, and had TAX
en- to common flour mill, and obtained privilege of
the miller to take up the upper mill stone, and the
head of the spindle, in its place, | made cross by
having into each other two pieces of three by four
scantng, which reyoved the seed and soon it got
out which was good substitute for the clover mill
so common through Pennsylvania and some other States
which could not be made by description only
The orchard grass seed is ripe when the heads turn
yellow brown and the blades begin to fade then reap
the tops and bind them into small sheaves and place
them into long open shock, where they will freely
ceve alternately the rays of the sum- rain and dews
which will prepare it for threshng. In two three
weeks, haul those shocks into the barn when quite dry
and whilst the shines but let the hauling be done
no faster than it is threshed, and in this way be
threshed clean and FAST to clean the Seed run it through
the common wheat fan twice, turning each time very
slow, so as to make light wind. The first time, use
the chatting riddle, and the next fine riddle, which
will only pass the seed with the screen of
the fan-the seed will then be fit for market and
hope much more seed will be saved and brought to
market to meet the general demand. While on this
subject, will remark for the information of those
who are yet unacquanted with the valuable qualities
of the orchard grass that after cutvang it for about
fifteen years. find it best for early and late pasture,
and if sowed thick enough, and cured whilst in BIOS
som, makes good hay, and much of it it thrves on
land moderately rich and moist and where it has free
access to the and air. shade being rather detrmen-
tai than useful II is called cocksfoot in England =
but how it has derived its present in this country,
have not ascertained but certain it is pecu-
liar to orchards. ROBERT SINCLAIR.