The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-07-02
AgrtruIturaI.
IIAYM1KING,

uAIM1KENG,
Scyihes. Procure a good scylhe for every man
and boy on the farm who is to do any thing at now
with the best implements that can be made. And
where the tool is poor, the work must be done eli
,hel poorly or slowly-and in either case the far
mer is losing more than the cost of furnishing bet
ter instrument, We know not-(b the way, this
term ne, am tired off, and shall, when it SO pleas
es me, use the more proper representative of my
single self, I)-I know not that any one of the
manufactures of this article eXces all others; some
soyhes from each factory are good, and Others
are not so; --if you are unfortunate enough TO get
poor one, there is no economy in trying to wor-
ry through the season with it; gnawing of your
grass; whelling every five minutes; Getling your
own body OF that of your hired man; going to the
grndstone every Two hours ;--theso attendants
upon poor scythe are such consumers of time that
aside at once and purchase another, As general
rule the scythe that crooks towards the point works
better than the straight onoat least it is 50 in my
hands The casi-oil scythe should not be pat into
the hands of the boy who is learning to mow--he
wants in his leebIer aud Impractical hand, shar-
per edge than is required by the man. Give him
a good and light tool; Or else excuse him from
this work.
Horse Rorcs. Tho value Of this implement for
use on a farm of common inequalities Of surface,
and Of common size is often over-stated in tho ad-
vcrtisomcnis and pu1s. But the aciuol 1rorih off,
jasiilies its purchase. Wehavo used the revolving
horse-raLa for four or five seasons, OH farm where
two acres is perhaps the amount moved per day;
the raking up of the thick green mornings now
ing in the latter part of the afternoon, is !aliguirg
appendage to the previous hard work Of the day,
The old horse who has been in the pasture all day,
and has nothing to do at present but kick flies, can
greatly tighten and considerably shorten this labor
we generally save in time probably from IS 10 GO
minutes, and in Sirc8gih moro than half This
saving toward the close of the day, comes in very
opporiuney, aud we would not part with the rake
for twice ils cost.
TO manage this instrument shiiiuly, requires
some praclice-buI as soon as one gets little ac-
customed to it, he can lay the winrow very well,
On large farms its use must be more valuable thun
on small ones. Where grain is moved and raked
up, this rake is very convenient and comfortable;
it takes all clean, and saves from hard hand rahng
This nnrumenl deserves more extensive use
than i, has found hitherto
Time Of cutting. Where grasses are not lodg-
ed, it is well to cut when they are fully in blossom;
but TO avoid having some of them get far past this
state before time can be found for securing, it is
prudent to begin upon tho more luxuriant fields be-
fore they reach full blossom.
Curing. In the early part of the hOying season,
while the grass is quite green, and much time is
required for curing, it is well to be busy in turning
it up 10 wind and sun; help it along fast You
can-but later in the season, if the weather be
good, it will be sufficiently cured the day after
moving without much assistance.
Some little matters amount 10 considerable in
the course Of the season; in ilraing mp hay, take
the help Of tho wind; do this too in raking;-in
mkins after the cart, regard the course Of tho wind
and the direction in which The team will next move,
and so arrange as not TO be obliged to rake tho
ground over twice In this simple labor Of ruhing
after the cart, have found &" head work" us
profitable as in any of the operations upon the farm.
san. Hay that would be liable TO heat and sour
because not qnle cured, may often be moved away
with sneiy if six to ten quarts Of salt 10 the Ion
are applied The Of salt upon nearly all the
bay as it goes into the barn may DO wise. am
inclined to the belief that farm in my neighbor-
hood on which salt has boen very freely used in
that way, had been greatly improved by ii; that is,
think the manure has been much more ellicaclOns
in consequence of the salt applied to the hay. AT
nome we find no hay SO palaIable to the stock as
that which is cut young, three-lourthj dried and
well saltod.
Cioper. This should be cured wihon. much
expcsuis TO the sun. can tell story that goes TO
show that clover need not be SO thoroughly dried
as many suppose. Last year. abont The middle Of
June we moved some very coarse clover, scarcely
beginning to blossom, and as full Of sap "a clover
ever was. The weather was cloudy aud foggy for
several days, SO that but little progress wac made
in curing il; i, continued heavy and green; after
four or five days, and while the cocks were damp
with fog we loaded il because the indications Of rain
were strong 1t was taken 10 the barn, slowed
AWAY and very thoroughly sailed. In four or five
DAYS it was dripping wet and burning hot in 10
DAYS it was uouldy; in December, it was the hay
preferred above all others in the barn, by sold Bug
Horn,' dainty COW that was destined 10 the
sbambles; every animal in the barn would devour
i, grsedily--and this too, when most of the hay,
and all the corn stalks in the barn had been sailed /,
IL. IL. NJ rnrt ~ v