Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-07-04
III gT WEgMrME.
From the Albany Cultivator.

from the AlDahy CuItlValor
CUTTING AND CURING HAY.
From our notes of the discussions, on the d" the
proper stage for cutting grasses, and the best mode
Of making hay at the seventh Agricultural meet
ing in this city, we give the following:
Mr. Bement said he had formerly Lecn in the
habit Of cutting timothy grass quite late. 1t was
easier cured after it got pretty ripe. But he found
in using hay thus cut, that it wanted Substance,
and be asccraned that the best time for cutting
was while the grass was in blossom. In making
clover hay, he had adopted Judge Bue's PLAN
He thought it best not to expose it much to the
sun. His practice was to cut it in the morning,
let it lay till noon, and then cock it, and let 1t
sweat for two or three days according to the
state of the weather. On putting The hay in the
barn, he had used about four quarts Of salt to the
ton. Hay thus managed came out in the spring
very bright and sweet. In the ordinary way of
curing clover hay, the best parts arc wasted.
Mr. Howard was aware that there were different
opinions as to the proper stage Of cutting grass;
but he thought the observance ofcertain principles
might afford guide in the case. For example,
the stems of grasses were filled just before the for
nation Of the seed, with starchy or saccharine
substance. In peHecting the seed, the stems were
exhausted of this substance, it being consumed in
forming the seed. Now if The heritage is the OBJ
ject the plant should be cut before the nutrment
has passed from the stems If seed is the object,
the plant must of course be allowed to attain a
good degree of maturity. Hay made from ripe
grass may go farther, or spend better as the ar
gumcnt is; and it is admitted that this may be true
for animals are less inclined to eat it, but this is nc
proof that it is moreHutritive. He spoke of the
different modes of cuttings hay, with nearly al
which, he said, he lad bcta acquainted, Glover
hay was altogether better when cured in cock
than by any other mode he knew Practical Al
hay was better for undergoing to some extent
sweating in the cock Coarse timothy was thus
rendered much softers and was less srawy nnC
stiff, and every desc. of hay was less likely t,
be moW burned
Mr. Belts was not in favor of knowing great dea
of grass while the dew is on. Ne was in the habi
ofspreading the swaths as soon as the ground wa
dry, and he always had it we'll cooked up before
night. The next day, if the weather was good HI
opened it again, if it did not dry en- ough he put
together again. but his object was to get it SO tina
it would do to putt in the barn. He sometime
found his hay too much heated in the NOW. From
being hurried, he had occasionally put load i
the barn too green. To stop the heat and lerment
alton which had ensued in such cases, ne had mad
holes in the hay with erow-bar, and scattered il
salt. In this way he had stopped the fermentatlo
and saved his hay in very good order.
Mr. Garretson, of the Assembly, from Clutches
county, said he generally cut from $50 to 900 ton
l ofhay per year-chiely timothy and red-op. II
generally begun when the grass was in the bloss
Y ON. His method was to cut in the morning
r spread the swaths lightly, and in the afternoon PIT
: it in cocks. The next day, If the sun came out,
S was again spread, and if made enough, put in tn
barn, with little salt sprnked on it, About tire
J. quarts ofsalt to the ton was as much as he useC
There was danger of using too much. He ha
formerly used more salt and was satisfied his al
imals, particularly sheep, had suffered by it.