Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-06-26

developed; consequently, In drying it loos-
es greatly in weight and in nutrltlVe quail
ties. Neither is (as ii most men supposed
when the seed is fully formed and partially
ripe, the blade having assumed a yellow
color, because then the jucles OF the grass
have become converted into woody fibre
and seed, and the blade is but little better
than so much straw. The right time must
be, then, when the grass is passing out of
blossom, when the juices of the stock are
still remaining there, when the leaves are
still green, and the whole plant full of those
nourishng qualities which make your cows
almost believe in winter that grass has come
again,
The practice of your wives, in preparing
your garden herbs for winter use, will show
you my meaning.
They do not wait until your sage has be-
come dead and dry before they cut it.
The careful housewife watches the moment
when it is in its transition state. When
the Stock and the leaves, and the blossoms
being fully formed, or Just ready to change,
then her sharp knife IS put into requisltion
carefully is it spread out to dry-careful-
ly is it bagged when dry; and when sau-
sage time comes, and the bag is opened the
pleasant flavor impaired to the savory meat
gives evidence that she is better farmer,
in her department, than her consequential
husband. 1t is perfectly easy to have sweet
smelling, green looking hay come out of
| Moroh . n hftln n
and little sound judgment; but when
stern winters blast bowls round your dwell
ing, and your cattle crowd beneath your
sheds and under your straw stacks, you will
be amply repaid, by their sleek looks and
satisfied countenances, for the little extra
care which you have taken.
Where clover is sown alone, great care
should be taken in harvesting. When the
growth is rank, it often happens that it will
fall down before it is cut. When this hap
pens it ought to be cut at once, and cured
as best you can, or fed to your stock; but
if it does not lodge, it ought to be permit
ted to stand until about one half the BIOS
SONS have turned brown, then cut it; and
if the day is very hot, and the sun shines
bright, do not shake it out but let it re-
main in the swath, turning it once OF twice
in the course of the day this preserves the
leaves. which would be likely to be lost by
spreading out thinly in the sun. In the
evening rake it up, and cock it in small
cocks. If the weather is fine the next day,
the cocks may be overturned and shaken
up lightly, SO that the air will pass freely
through them, In the evening it may be
hauled TO the barn, without any danger of
spelling. In cloudy or showery weather,
more time is necessary; and here your
judgement must be your guide. Clover hay
thus prepared will keep your cattle well in
winter, and cause cows to keep up their
supply of milk.
Timothy grass is always later in the sea-
son than clover, and is generally about rea-
dy to cut when the latter is harvested; it
ought to be cut when the pollen or blossom
is falling as at this time it is in its highest
perfection as grass. The same general
rule for its cure may be observed as before
stated ; but it scarcely verrequres SO much
time and care as clover, possessing more
woody fibre and less water. have fire.
quently-especlally toward the latter end Of
acknowledgement and hauled it in OH the
same day. The day and the circumstances
however, were always favorable when have
done this, and it will not do to adopt it as
a general rule.
by pursuing this method of cutting botI
of these grasses ,-and indeed all othel
kinds-you secure speedy growth for I
second crop, which would moi be so certain
if left to become more mature, the roots o
the plants being partially or totally exhaus
ted by the process of ripening, and gen
eral tendency to decay having taken place
Western AgricuHuriSt.