Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1859-06-04
farmers' department
Curing Hay.

The following extracts from the published
views Of ). w. Jewett, Esq, Of Connecticut,
on the curing of hay, should attract the at.
tention of farmers, whose views, il different
from these, we should like to have in reply:
IN our opinion there is q great mistake ex.
isting in this matter. 1t is an old adage,
make hay while the sun Shines" aud many
seem to think that the more sun they can get
upon their hay the better. Here is the mis-
take to which we alude.
BY this process Of over drying tho sun,
great many tons OF hay are lost. The indu.
ence OF the sun is partly Of distlaton, and
has the power not onIy to expel the watery
elements contained in plants but the req!
substance Of the plant itself, which goes to
form Fat and muscular fibre of all rumlnating
animals. 1t is asserted by dstilleis Of plants
that to procure the most OIL they must not
be dried in the sun, as it not only lessons the
quantity Of oil, but also dimiuishes the flavor
Now grass may be exposed to the influence
of the suns rays until there is no more nour.
ishment in il than there is in a pile Of wood.
Thus, from one.tenth to cour.firths Of the
nuiritive part of hay is lost by the maker in
the process OF drying. or what might be more
properly called process OF distlaton. We
have reason to believe that in Vermont alone
ih,re is lost during one season, in this way,
more than five hundred thousand dollars
worth Of nutriment in bay; which if it had
been wisely retained, might have nourished
many hungry hocks and herds, US nature de-
sigued-iustead of being resolved again Into
| its constituent elements, and waited away by
the winds.
| when the hay. maker is desirous OF stacking
or moving his hay little underdoue he may
do so with impunlty, by adding layers Of dry
straw or old hay, occasionally, to absorb the
gasses which would pass Of by oyerheatiUg
or in the field, under the influence OF sun and
air. Much value, in this way. may be saved,
as stock will eat The straw aud old buy with
svidty, though it may have been second quail
ity.
Another good method Of storing your hay,
as green as possible is by providing several
places so that but one or two loads may be
put together the same day. BY this gradual
process Of storing The hay, it will be richer in
quality il not over ripe.
When the hay is not made enough 10 save
we'll by storing large bodies, it may be cast on
| to nm open scutiod o. reriain on the load over
night to sweat. All hay underdone should
bs pressed as lightly as possible in NOW o!
stack, bot when overcured or too ripe the
more solid il is pressed at unloading the bet
! ter.
70 make a stack Of ho? properly, it should
be several days in going up, that you may be
able TO retain its good virtues anG give the
stack time 10 settle by degrees.
Grass should be wlied, then, without dew
or wet, ard put into cocks, not by rolling
but by placing one forkful top Of the other
| When the grass gums the scythe in cutting
| it requires little or no drying before it goe )
to the barn, if stored with proper care. Hay
may heat in the. NOW, to certain extent
and not be rejected by stock, and is not apt
to must or mould in small bodies. if the water
is thoroughly dried of When hay is liable
to overhead il should be tarnei up to air, OF
II square pit cut out of the centre to check it
A chimney is sometimes formed by setting
bundles of straw on end, one on top of the
other, commencing near the bottom Of the
stack or uIow, ending near the top. When
overdried. as before stated. it never hecome:
solid in the now That fed from the solid
NOW is of more value. and will SO much far
ther, pound for pound. than that led out Of
loose hay in bulk.
Every stack or nov. divided ht the bay
knife, will keep more stock, fed in this. fresl
state than from the larger surface, which il
constantly exposed 10 the disti!sation OF the