Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-07-15
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Wood, sugar, starch and gum, are com
posed of precisely the same elements, and
these are nearly in the same proportion.
The difference in form and properties is
chiefly in the arrangement of the elements.
Yet wood is nearly indigestible, and of
course fails, in part, to yield nourishment,
while sugar, starch, and gum, are easily
digested, and almost their entire elements
furnish nutriment.
Examine grain in the milk, and it will
be found to consist almost totally of starch,
gum and sugar, the abundance of sugar
giving it a sweetish taste. Let this grain
ripen, and the starch, gum and sugar,
are hardened, and in part changed to
woody fibre, that is, husk or bran. But
cut the grain while scarcely out of the
milk state, and you stop the natural change
into woody matter, and thus secure a lar
ger proportion Of the desired starch, sugar
and gum. 1t is we'll known that the ear
liest flour made from frst-cut grain posses
ses a peculiar sweetness. Corn picked
while still soft, and dried, retains it's sweet
ness. The only point to be looked to is,
not to cut grain before it attains its full
development of material. This point has
been found to be just at the period when
it commences hardening. No grain should
be allowed to stand a day after it becomes
so solid as to require a gentle pressure tc
crush the kernel between the thumb ant
fnger-nails. This rule applies to wheat
oats, corn and indeed to all cereal crops
Gathered at this time, which is usual,
' eight to ten days before perfect ripening
there will not only be more and better M
triment, but the yield of grain, and especi
ally of -four, will be from FIVE to ten pc
: cent. greater, and often more, than if tn
j, cutting had been deferred ten or twelv
days.
The decidedly superior value of stra'
cnt green, is another important item to b
taken into account. The increasingly hig
price of hay, and the advance in the d
/. mand and value of stock, render it impo
tant to give more attention to preservatio
of straw. Wheat or oat straw, and corr
stalks, if left standing until fully m ature,
are little better, and little else than
much wood but stop the ripening proce
h as soon as is practicable remove the graf
an you secure straw and stalks Wor
= one-fourth to one-half their weight
, hay, as the latter is ordinarily cured
Would it not be better to run the risk
70 getting a few pounds less of grain by t
early gathering, if thereby you secure
greatly superior quality of feed in t
straw.
y The reasons for cutting grain early a
ply with equal force to all crops gather
for forage. Taste a stalk of grass Just
it is losing its flower and you will find
", sweet, succulent and tender. A few da
afterward, it is more like a dry piece
by wood. But cut it down at the fnrmor /
riod, dry it in smalll masses to preve
heating and fermentation, and it will
talp of its sweetness, and contain
large proportion of the sugar, starch q
gum. We state an undeniable fact,
established by right experiment, that f
tons of hay gathered just as the flower
season is over, will yield more nour
nlent than flee tons gathered ten to TIVE
days later. We have the best autho
for saying that one acre of grass, VIII
when cut fully ripe would yield 1,
pounds of digestible nourishiug mat
and 1000 lbs. of woody fibre, will, if
10 to IL days earlier, yield from 1,50
1900 pounds of nourishing material,
only 1920 to 1,500 pounds of woody f
We will not stop to estimate what an
mense saving would be effected to
country were the principles above st
thoroughly understood and practiced u