Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-07-02
From the Country Gentleman,
EARLY CUTTING OF HAY.


MRssRs. EDIroRs IL have observed in sew
eral agricultural papers, articles enioining far
mers to cut their hay as early as at the time
that it comes out in blossom, or even earlier,
because it is said, if properly cured, the hay
retains its beautiful green color, and the nu-
tritive juices of the plant to much greater
degree than ii suffered to stand until the seeds
are fully formed.
Perhaps this may be true in regard to clover
hut am satisfied that it is not in regard to
timothy or other "grasses. AT all events,
my experience is that green timothy hay is
not so palatable to cattle, nor to stock of any
kind, as that which is cut after the seed are
fully formed, and indeed so far ripened as to
shelP' a little when the hay is housed.
Some years ago cut some very good timo-
thy grass before harvest, and before the bios
SONS had entirely fallen off. 1t was cured in
the very best manner, and placed in NOV to
which could at any time have access. After
harvest and when the seed had become so
ripe as to she'll out considerably, | cut the
same kind of grass, in the same field, and
placed it in a separate NOV. At favorable
time the following winter for making fair
experiment, carried out to my cattle, hay
from the NOW in which | had stored that
which had been cut while green, before har-
vest, and fed to each a separate parcel. After
carried to each parcel of that which had
been cut after harvest, and from which the
seed shelled when it was handled. In every
instance the cattle Immediately quilted the
beautiful green hay and ate up clean, that
which was cut after harvest, before again
touching the former. Indeed, in many in
stances, they they threw from their months
the green hay, the sooner to get at the other.
repeatedly tried the same experiment, and
the result was the same in every instance
The reason for the preference shown by the
cattle for the hay cut after harvest, suppose
to be this 1t was much more easily mastica-
ted, and sweeter in flavor than the other; that
it retained in the stems, leaves and seeds all
the nutritive matter which it possessed when
green, and probably with some additions de-
rived from the earth and atmosphere over
and above that OF the green hay.
The green, early cut hay, although it re-
tanned its green and beautiful ppealance
was tough aud difficult TO masticate and very
probably the crude and unelaborated sap ac-
qured an acid and bitterish TASTE which was
disagreeable to the palate, and deleterious TO
the health of the cattle. BE this as it may,
the experiments fully satisfied me that the
cattle were most fond of the later cut hay
that they would eat more OF it, and keep in
better condition upon it than upon the earlier
cut green hay. | have not so perfectly ex-
perimented in regard to horses and sheep
But haveobserved that they always made
the same choice with the cattle, when oppor-
tunity offered no doubt for the same rea-
sons. j. II. II.
HOW TO HOE CORN.
When was a boy, and iirst went into the
held to hoe corn, was quite puzzled to know
what my father meant, when he directed us
n he qupa and 90 hna vvhara Ia morn, ,p,a,it
But after following him for few days, and
noticing the pains he took to have the ground
between the hills well stirred, as well as the
weeds cut mp, and particularly when | saw
how careful he was not To disturb the ground
deeply very near the young plants, under
stood his meaning. In long acquaintance
with corn, have observed enough To make
me think he was right. The weeds must be
cut up root and branch to have good corn
that's certain. and the ground must he kept
loose enough to let the heat get in, and the
moisture pass up from below, and to allow
the spreading roots to make their way easily
through the soil in search for good picking.
But I've seen Il good many slash away with
the hoe close around the stock, when every
cut there, if two inches below the surface,
must have broken quite a number Of the
growing roots. II certainly cannot be Of
much use to feed corn well, il you then go to
work and cut off its mouths, for the roots are
mouths to the plant. So | always cultivate
lightly wherethe roots have extended, which
is about the length that the stock has reached
above the ground and when the corn is up
breast high, wouldn't let man 20 through
the field with plow if he'd pay wages foI
doing it and find himself do not believe in
Milling corn making the field look like cro[
of young flag stats planted on small pima
Giles. The stalk has grown up into the ain
where it was intended to stay, and it isn's
natural to partially bury it alive. People de
II to prop it up, so that the wind will not lev
ell it. But if it be let alone, it will do its owI
proping, by sending forth extra roots just
above the surface which go out and anchor il
all aronnd. have seen field that was hilled
laid fiat by the storm, while the next one tt
IL, that grew naturally, stood up after the
blow as straight as militia captain oil train
ing day. When corn is hilled it will try t.
send out a second growth OF supporting root
hut neither the first nor the second growth
will then become strong enough to be o
much use. therefore try to leave my grount
nearly level, and thus also save the roots tn
trouble of diving down again to get below
the gullies which are sometimes left after tn,
first plowing. American Agriculturst.
USES OF COAL ASHES.
In answer to some inquiries on this subject
we would say that their value as q manure i
not very great. The chemists will tell II,
that they contain only little potash, mucl
less than wood ashes, and that they are com
posed chiefly Of earthly materials with somt
sulphate OF lime or gympsum. Experience,
will best decide where they are most benef
eial: hurtful they can hardly be. III heavy
clay soils, they will by mechanical action tend
to make the ground porous and easy of til.
lage. And for this reason, some good cnlti
vators recommend their free use in potat,
fields, as they render the soil light and dry
and so favor the healthfulness Of the tuber.
Thirty, fifty, or even a hundred bushels N
acre are not too much. They may be uset
advantageousy as a tol'-dressing to grass
lands also mulch TO fruit trees in Summer
and protection to their roots in Winter.
Flemish Beauty pear tree that we saw las
summer, was loaded down with fruit, from
having been literally mulched in this way
[American Agriculturisa
MILDEw OF THE GRAPE.
Mr.. E. s. Crozier, of Harrison county; In
diana, writes for the Ohio Cultivator on tn,
subject OF the mldew of the grape as follows
am satisfied from observation that tn,
true cause of mildew is excessive moisture
The best test OF the matter is, To try tin such
a way that there can be no mistake. Col. J.
L. Kinter, an intelligent farmer in this neigh
borhood, has built protection of clap-bnard
like roof, nailed upon posts, which are boar
dsd up behind. Last season., not singl,
bunch which was under cover, rotted, whil,
Of those which were exposed, nearly all rot
ted. These very vines had become so addic
ted to mildew, that for several years they Ina,
been almost worthless. These vines were no