Litchfield enquirer., 1859-07-14

HAY AND HAY-MAKING.-Of the impor- tance of the hay crop We need scarcely re- mark, save that it's value exceeds that of any other product of the northern section of our country. That this value might be largely i,- creased without extending the area devoted to grass, or giving more time to it's manufac- ture into hay, as food for stock, accords with the care and judgment bestowed upon it's ma king and the difference between hay and straw is not so much in the plants themselves as in the stage of growth in which they are cut, and the curing they receive. One farmer may keep his stock in thriving, fattening order through the winter, while another, although he feeds the product of more acres of mead- ow, shall find them constantly failing in con- dition. The first has hay made in the best manner, and "of such quality, that given quantity of it will produce nearly as many pounds of meat or milk, as the grass itself would have produced if eaten in green state."
 In what stage of the growth of grass it shall be cut, and the manner in which it shall be cured, have long been acknowledged ques- tions important to the practical farmer, tho as yet no decisions in which all acquiesce, have made any one practice the general one. Some cut in the season of Towering, before the blos- sons have fallen others not until the seed has formed and others still, defer the opera tion (with some grasses) until it is fully ripe. Some cure by exposure to the sun, as rapidly as possible others seek to perform the same process with the smallest expenditure of la Dor and others still would keep the hay as fully shaded as may be while drying. Each class brings arguments to sustain their meth ods of procedure, both ill cutting and curing ; but to our mind, chemistry and practical anal ogy teach us valuable lessous on the subject, which, in condensed form, we shall attempt to present to the reader We may state that our attention was first drawn particularly to the subject, ten years since, by an article in the Cultiyator, giving extracts from scientif ic report made by Dr.. Thompson for the Brit ish Royal Agricultural Society.
 Chemistry shows us that all plants contain the largest amount of matter soluble in wa ter, at the peliod of towering, and that the sugar and gluten of the grass, and few eth CT soluble ingredients, constitute its chief val ue us food for animals These rapidly dilnili- ish as the seed forms, changing into insoluble woody fibre, and the hay, which should, as far as may be, resemble grass in it's most per feet state is worth much less if not made uil- til after that period. There are but few ex, captions to this rule. but we believe the Ken lucky blue grass, the June grass. and some others which furnish but a light amount of stem, and are most valuable for the leaves, which continue growing through the summer, may stand past the Towering stage without loss.
 The advocates of ripe hay bring as an ar gument in their favor, the fact that such hay | yields the greatest amount of extract when boiled, and that therefore, it must contain the most nutrient It is found, however, that boiling very imperfectly initiates the process of digestion, and experiments with the living animal confirm what chemical analysis teaches, l that the best hay is that cut and properly cured at the period of blossoming.
 That process of curing which shall most perfectly retain the nutfitive properties pres
 cut in the plant is the best process. We dc not wish to change or evaporate the juices o