The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1858-08-18
From the Country Gentleman.
HE BEST MODE OF CURING HAY.


From the Country Gentleman.
THE BEST MODE OF CURING HAY.
MRssRs. EplToRs:-I notice that a contro.
yersy still goes on respecting the time OF
cutting and manner Of curing hay, especially
tlmothy. now intend giving my views al
length, as it has been ny study for half my
life time, to cut and cure at the time and in
the manner most palatable to animals. aud al
the same time mast nutritive. believe no-
thing Of food kind is nuiritiye, unless il has
a very good favor or smell; therefore il is
important, hnth for 0nr own interests and for
the comfort Of the dumb animal uu,ier our
care, that we should have their winter food
prepared IN the best manner we can to re-.
tain good aavor. | will state my reasons
for this opinion: was informed long ago,
BY one who ! suppose knew, that to make
the tobacco plant narcotic, il had To be
gathered at certain time. and cured IN
peculiar manner II not so gathered and
cured, il would be insipid, or losr its narco.
tic quality, and would not be used by man
and that beautiful lawer, the fox glove. re
quires to be gathered at certain stage ol
IT. growth, and cured in very peculiar man +
ner, beng dried ia the dark, and then called
Digitalis. a powerful medicine for bnth man
and beast. So II IS with other medical flow.
ers and herbs; they need a certain treat.
ment, both in the time Of gathering and cur
ing; otherwise they ave worthless. Such
reading led me to try. and. il possible. find
The best time for cutting and manner Of cur.
ing hay and doubt not, had hay been made
for man. that centuries befure The nineteenth.
il would have been a settled pnUt by man.
or good housewives, as to which is the best
time for cutting and curing it, TO answer our
tastes
will now give my time Of cutting. and
also the manner of curing when cnt by
scyihes, as also the manner which think
lndls pcnsable when cut b. machines.
As Ia time Of cutting. knnw that every
farmer wall agree with me. that nothing they
ever feed to cattle, tthat are fed daring the
winier,) will put nn as much fat or increase
their weight near as much IN given time,
(ssy two monthly as rich pasture. There.
iure, argue that grass should be cut for hay,
and not LEI il stand until il becomes dried
hay before It is cut. Ii | could cut al my
hay IN day or two or little longer. would
let timothy stand until the seed was formed
but still quite soft; but as that cannot be ac.
complshed in the time mentioned, begin
when ~ full flower.
When cut with the scythe and the grass
heavy, did all the curing in the saath
Grass will stand good deal Of rain without
injury. II left IN the swath, when cut green
nhen inteud 10 take Il IN, IL not thorough
! " dry on the lower side. IL vet from rain
turn the swaihs over before raking. il even
somewhat green on tie under SIDE OF the
sWath; but IL no rain had fallen, raked il
up, aud took il intn the barns. In that way
il took sweat il heavy crnp in the swaih
and another sweat IN the NOV aud hOlt
! il indispensable that hay, for either sheep o
cattle, should have sweat. and IL is equal,
requisite as that tobacco as fox-gOye should
have their peculiar modes Of curing and time
Of cutting. II light crop cut with scythes, al
sum ss a little wllted, faked up. put II
good sized or rather large c0sks. let II lax,
guod sweat 10 the cucks. and LEI them alnn,
until dry enough to take IN. Crimnthy ha,
cut green and cocked in green state, vii
stand much rain without much injury il le
alune.) liz this way always made fine ia
,orcd hay, aud my stock always did wei
upon il.
But since We all around here cut our gras
with machines drawn b, horses, the mode o
curing must be sumeWhat different 10 maxi
fine favored nuiriti,r hay. The machin,
cuts aud spreads u as ertniy as II groTs b
The ground therefore IL drles much mot,
suddenly tllan il cut by scyihes. aud th
hursc.rake ought to be started few hours
,mnre or lever, according to the temperature
SITTER the maclline is started, aud the gras
put in cock, and not left until the machin
las done a days work, and until the ,lev
gues 81 next morning. II high tempcra
tare, your bas will then be - dry that ii vii
take 10 sweat hence no llayur, aud mucl
less nuirimrnt. The trouble with those met
WIN make trial Of cutting green, IS tia
they dry II 50 much in the hot sun that il eau
not sweat in either cock pr new. ha,
seen stacks d hay in many places. the ha!
having been put up so d,y, that i my arn
had been long enough could have put ~.
hand through them, aud that alter they ha,
stoml for months, aud the hay had 40 NOR
flavor, tenecpt the little ripe seed lett on.
than brush Irum dead tree. want to se
no stacks o. hay mows put up Tor me bu
will in week ur ten days become 81 soli
that it is with difficulty you can push you
hand into them one iuut.
Nov, Messrs. Editors, have given you a
Ilucidly as can, my views aud reasons iOr de
: Waiting from the rules laid down by FAC NOR
learned men. as to the time for cutting an
, manner of curing timothy hay. aud indee
all other kinds Of hay have had any eSpe