Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-07-09

lsh animals. In the formation of seed tho stero,
and leaves are exhausted of these substances and
the substance which remains is chiefly woodv Che
But 1t may be said that the Composition of 'uooJ
hore, starch, and gum, are nearly the same. AL
mltted; but this does not prove that animals oro
able to extract nearly an equal amount of nourish-
ment from each Tho composition of the diamond.
the hardest OF all substances, may be said to be
similar to that of starch, gum, &c.,-carbon being
the chief element of ALL but the digestive organs
of animals would hardly be able to convert the dia-
mond into organized tissue. And though woody
fibre, if eaten by cattle or sheep, might stick by
the ribs" we think the ribs would not acquire from
it much fat or the system much strength
In some parts Of the country, animals are acu-
ally fattened for market on hay alone. This NAV
sound strange to those who feed their stock only on
clover and timothy which has gone to seed for we
presume their stock was never thus fattened. But
where this object is attained, the grass is cut while
1t is quite green, mot past bloom, and made and
preserved with great care. 1t is true there are
some kinds of grasses-as the "spire grass" or the
Kentucky blue grass" Poa pretensis,5 which make
but very little bulk in seed-stalks, the chief growth
consisting OF leaves which spring from the root
The greatest value in fodder would be obtained in
such cases by allowing the crop to grow till it had
acquired ITS greatest bulk. This remark, however,
by no means applies to clover, or timothy, or the
grasses usually cultivated for hay.
In making hay, we would expose it to the sun
and air no more than is required to effect its pres
ervatlon, for the same reason that is above given
in reference to curing herbs. Clover can be cur
ed-indeed it is more conveniently cured-with
but very little exposure to the sun. III is not wet
and is fairly wited, it may be put with forks into
cocks, which will weigh when dry about fifty lbs,
each, and will effectually cure. Timothy may also
be cured in the same manner The finer grasses,
when thrown into body, pack more closely and
afford less space for the air; consequently they re-
Quire be morn th nlv snrnod in tnakino
Excepting with clover, which we never spread
out of swath, our practice has been to spread out
the swaths as evenly as possible, if the burden is
stout as soon as the dew is off; in the afternoon,
rake and cock it before the dew falls We prefer
putting it in cocks, even if it is no more than wilt.
ed, because the sweating it will there undergo in
the course Of twelve hours, will much facilitate the
making, and if the grass is coarse and hard, it will
render it muCh'more soft. Besides hay that has
been well sweated in the cock, is not liable to fer
ment in the stack or now
Whether the hay which was moved and nut into
cocks on the first day will make so that it will do
to go to the barn on the second day, depends. of
course, its condition. md the state of the wealth
err. If all appearances indicate that the hay can
be made sufficiently on the second day, land re-
peated observation only can determine the dryness
which Is required) opens the cocks and shaking the
hay out lightly, and thoroughly breaking all the
lacks with the fork But it should not-lie spread
out later than thee four o'clock in the afternoon
but should be put up again, or, if dry enough, put in
the barn this tlme lest i. should contract moisture.
1t from the condition of the hay the appearance
of the weather. there is probability that the hay
cannot be made enough in one day, let it remain
undlsturbed till the weather is favorable.
There are one or twos other considerations in ia
vor of early cutting, which we omitted to notice
above. 1t Is admitted by Psychologists that plants
exhausted both their own energies and the soil,
more in forming seed, than in the whole preceding
portion of their growth. Thus when grass is sut-
tered to ripen, it gives but little aftergrowth, and
from the exhaustion mentioned, the sward more
quickly dies out.-.albany Cultivdtor