Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-07-11
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From the Albany Cultivator
CUTTING AND CURING HAY.
[CoNeLUDED.7

CONCLUDED.
From our notes of the discussion, on "the
proper stage for cutting grasses, and the best
modes of making hay" at the seventh Agricul-
tural meeting in the city, we give the follow
ing;
Mr. Mack always directed his men to make
hay as rapidly as possible. He had often made
it and put it in the barn in one day, and never
had better hay. He was always particular to Sc
cure it from dew when it must be left over night
1t is said by some who had much practice i'll
making hay, that it is never injured from its
own internal juice, but only from rain or dew
MI Sotham did not like the plan ofsaIting hay,
neither did he like the hay that was made in one
day. If it could be so made that il would not
hurt in one day, it must have been too dry for
good hay before it was cut, or else very light bur-
den. He would as soon have good bright straw
for COWS or Sheep as timothy hay after it had
gone to seed. He cuts clover when part of it
is in the blossom and part in the head Cuts
all his grass early. 1t takes longer to make hay
cut thus early, but for COWS and sheer, especially,
lit was a great deal better. The objection to
sailing hay was, that animals were forced to eat
salt whether they wanted it or not, and it made
sheep scour. His hay came out of the barn of a
bright green color, and his stock would laten on
it. There was another great advantage in cut
ting early-the roots retained their life and
strength better, and the after feed and future
crops were much more abundant.
Judge Cheever said he would cut his clover
in blossom, not sooner. He would let it take the
sun one day, but not enough to have the leaf
break of, then put it in small cocks and cure it.,
until by few hours dying, by turning over and
breaking the cocks, the fluids would be so far
out of it that it mig ht be housed without hurting.
The length of time necessary to cure will depend
upon the state of the weather, and the larger or
smaller growth ofthe crop, Upon this the farm
er must exercise his judgment,
He would not cut timothy until it had passed
out oc he blossom Professor Davy, in his Ag-
ricultural Chemistry says that "a parts Of clo-
YER hay cut in blossom, produced | parts of nu-
tritiye matter, and the sane taken in seed. Tim
notify 10 parts in blossom, am 70 IN seed. This
in the timothy probably too much; nut tnat nu /
tritve matter in timothy improved after the lali
of the blossom, he had no doubt. Red-top comes
to maturity later, and he did not think there was
much difference whether cut in blossom or soon
after. He believed timothy cut in blossom would
pound for pound, produce more milk when fed
to cows or sheep, than it would cut afterwards !;
but for horses and other stock, he thought it
more nutritious to stand little longer.
He preferred moving his hay, as far as he
could, when free from dews or water. He let
the swaths take the sun few hours, until the
top got little wted or scared before turning
1t thus held up the greater parts when turned O.
yer and spread, and permitted the air to circulate
under it it also gave the ground between the
swaths time to dry, which was important in hast
ening the curing. In this way he avoided the
necessity of turning the hay after being spread
which was one Of the most tedious processes
through which the hay had to be passed, and Of
course the most expensive. He never permitted
his hay to take dew when it had sun enough tC
wilt it considerably, if he could help it. The
dew discolored it, and he had never been able tC
restore the fine fresh color afterwards He pre-
ferred letting his hay stand over night in The
cock He could then better tell of its fitness tc
be housed 1t is very easy to break up the cocks
and give it more sun if necessary; and the Sigh
fermentation OF sweating in the cock which il
checked and dried off in carting, is a great pre-
ventive against heating in the NOV.
On the approach of rain, ! always put>all TIL
hay that has had any sun of consequence, int
cock. If the storm is long one, it may tur
yellow so that it cannot be restored, but it wi
retain most ofits nutritive matter and its weight
whereas if left spread out to take the rain, it los
es both, and is much worse discolored lneve
use salt upon my hay, but upon compulslon bu
sooner than leave it out to take storm, even i
cock would put it in little short dried, an
apply salt to save it, as would sooner have it sal
ed than musty.
DR. Lee thought it the best way to NOW grass a
aerthe dew was off-spread it, dry it, dry it ;
much as possible, and rake it into winrow If
was dried enough, and it would frequently be 81
he would load it from the winrow, aid save tt
labor ofcoc1ing itup ,r