Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1846-07-23
From tie Cdifr1'or.
HAY MAKING.

why nor adopt the same rule In regard to
lime OF culung clover and grass for hay that
Ia followed M cuiling medicinal hoths. The
objeci IN both cases il 10 secure the intrinsic
virtues OF the plant. In cutting herbs, as all
scquaiutsd with tho subject admit, the most
proper time for cuinng ~ when they
are IN iuil bloom and iiIs also admitted
that they should be cured in the shade. be-.
cause II exposed to the more direct influ-
once OF tho sun some OF their valuable
properties would be eyaporated
We know there Ia some difference IN opin-
ION IN regard TO the proper time for cutting
grass. The advocates for ripe hay contend
tina, there is more Substance to II, and tia,
II Will go further IA feeding stock, than
7 tina, which is cut while 1t IS IN blossom -
And 50 we suppose there i still substance
| IN sctub-oak brush, and tina, 1t will 90 sui
laIher IN ieedlnR tnai Supporhng) stock -
Admitting there Is more substance in ripe
grass Is II kind OF substance which affords
more nourlshment to animals I
! Plants, al the time OF towering. contail
starch. gum an sugar. all OF which are
known 10 nouslsE ANNALS IN tho formation
Of seed, tho stems ui leaves are exhausted
'i these Substances and what remains is
/ chiefly woody ii5re. Bu, It NAV be sand that
the cunpos ton OF woody fibre, statch, and
gum, are nearly the same. Admitted, but
this does not prove that animals are able to
extract nearly an equal amount Of nourish.
meni from each The composition Of the
diamond, the hardest of all substances, may
be said 10 lie similar to that OF starch, gum
carbon being the chief element OF all,
but the digestive organs Of animals would
hardly be able to convert the diamond into
organized tissue. And though woody fibre,
II eaten by cattle or sheep, might suck by
the ribs, we think the RIBS would not ac-
qulre from II much ial or the system much
strength.
In some parts Of the country, animals are
actually fdreHcd for market on hay alone -
This may sound strasge to those who feed
their stock only with clover and timothy
which has gone TO seed; for we presume
their stock was never thus fattened. Bul
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 ofgrasse. as the
"spire grass" or "KenIucky blue grass"
(Poa rrdtensis) which make but little bulk
in seed stalks, the chief growth consists of
leaves which spring from the root. The
greatest value IN fodder would be Obtained
In such cases by allowing the crop TO grow
MI It had acquired lis greatest bulk This
remark however by no means apulIrs to clio.
yer, or timothy, or the grasses usually cult
waited for hay.
Ia making hay, We would expose il to the
sun and air no more than is required to Of
feet lis preservation, for the same reason
that is above given IN reference to curing
herbs Clover can be curcd-indeed II l.
more conveniently cured--with but very lit
tie exposure to the sun. Ifu isn1t wetand
fairly wlied, II may be put with forks, into
cocks. which will weigh, when dry, about
fIhy pounds each, and Will eflectualiy cure
Timothy, also, may 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 to be more ihinly sprea in making
Excepting with clover. which We never
spread out OF swar,h, our Practice has been
10 spread out the swarihs as evenly as pos.
sblc, II the burden IL stout as soon as the
dew is of, IN the afternoon, rake and cock It
before the dew falls We prefer putting It
in cocks, even if II is no more than wllied,
because the sweating II will there undergo
IN the course OF twelve hours, will much ia.
cllate the making, and If the grass Is coarse
and hard, 1t viii render 1t much more soft .-
Besides, hay that has been vel, swcaied IN
cock, Is not liable TO iormeni IA the stack or
NOV.
There are one or two other considerations
in favor ofcafly cutting which we omitted 10
notice above. II is admitted Nv physlolo.
qsts that plants exhaust both their own en-
ergles AID the soil, more IN forming seed.
than no he whole preceding portion Of tb,.I
growth Thus when Ct1ss IS suffered 10 r.
pen /! gives hut ilu,e aner-gfowth, and from
iDe exhaustion menlloned, the sward more
quickly dies ogL