Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-01-19
Agricultural.
CURING GRASS FOR HAY BY STEAM.

N1hhSo TWIN AAA A. . AIHHAs
THIS is an age of bold innovations of old
customs. We have one to propose which is
worthy of the consideration Of our State Ag-
ricultural Society, and now is the time to
think about it, that premiums may be offered,
or the matter at least discussed at the Janu-
airy meeting Of the members and executive
committee. 1t is to solve the question of cur
ing grass for hay-that is discharging the
water from it by steam instead of the slow,
imperfect process of drying it in the sun, Of
ten interrupted by rains, and the product
injured and spoiled. Now, if saturating it
with steam will have the effect, as we believe
it will to cure it, so that an hour of sun will
dry it, or so that it may be preserved with
salt it opens new era in the use of steam
for agricultural purposes. The process need
not be Il very expensive or laborious one
Let the grass be heaped up as fast as cut,
and covered with India rubber cloth. Then
pipe from stcam-boiler, mounted upon
wagon, may be inserted under the centre of
the pile, and steam applied to degree of
heat strong enoug to almost cook the whole
heap; at any rate to prepare it for very rap
id sun-drying. We believe, from some ex-
periments which we have seen in drying 9TH
CT vegetable substances, that green clover may
be prepared in three hours for safely slowing
away in the barn. By using metal caps, in
steel of cloth, the process Of steaming may
be continued to degree sufficient to expel all
the moisture. Whether it can be economical
ly used upon the farm is the point which we
wish to see settled, and that is what the az
ricultural societies should determine Steam
has already been applied to carry manure tc
the field blowing the ground, and threshing
the crop. No doubt it will be seen applied
to sowing the seed and rcaping, as well al
moving, and it only remains to cure the green
grass as fast as cut, by the same powerful
agent.
This is not chimera unworthy of thought
1t is subject which sooner or later will at
tract the serious attention Of that portion Of
farmers who do think. Try it, if you please
on small scale; take any .succulent plant
and subject it five minutes to steam and ther
place it in the sun and see how quick it will
become as dry as wel-cured hay. Apples
peaches, &C., can be dried by steam in one
day. IF grass cannot be cured by steam, lei
us know why.
VIII it be more wonderful than it is now
for Il farmer to leave home at Buffalo in thu
morning and sell bis crop the same day in N
York, for him to get up in the morning anc
call for John "to get out the moving ma
chine and small locomotive aud cut down
that fifty acre lot of clover, and tell George
Henry to fire up the hay-maker, and follow
Alexander and William with the steam-rak
ing machine, and cure that grass as fast as il
is out, and will be down with the four wag
ons, and let us see how much of that crol
VIC can have in the barn before night, Peter y
eyes, sir"
Peter, you may fire up the barn engine
and see that the hosting machine is all RICH
on both sides Of the floor, for shall bring il
two tuns at load, and while one tun is 90
ing up into the right hand NOW we can hitcl
on to the other and have that up directly, 81
that it will not take fifteen minutes to get of
a load. In the intervals between loads, keel
the engine at work filling the great water
tank; the last planting Of potatoes need wa
tering, and as soon as the water is warmed il
the sun IL little, we will give them shower
All, boys, this is the age of steam; you dom
have to work to cure hay as | used to wher
| was boy; when we used to cut all the
grass with scythe-"
"By hand, tather?"
eyes, my son, by hand, slow, hard labor
and then we had to spread the grass to dry
and then turn it over and over in the sun
with sticks and wooden forks, or clumsy iror
ones; then we raked it by hand, and made il
up in cocks, which had to be opened and
spread out to dry again, and again raked up
then we pitched it on and off Of the wagon
and sometimes it was a fortnight after it wal
cut before we could get it cured enough tc
stack Or put in the barn..
"And all that by hand-abor 2"
eyes, hand-labor and hard-labor." 7"
"Wel, father, it does appear to me as
though people must have been very stupio
when you were boy, not to have any steam
engine on their farms"
"No, not stupid, exactly, but very hard
to believe, or make improvements, or farm
| their lands any way but just as did their
fathers and grandfathers. "-Ncw York Tri.
buae.