Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-06-14
AGRICULTURAL,
Proper Time to Cut Grass for Hay.


portant subject, through the agency Of
many of the Stats and county Agricultu-
raj Societies, The Secretaries of some of
these have caused large numbers of circu-
lars to be distributed among the farmers
containing a series of interrogatores rela-
ting to practical matters pertaining to the
farm, &c. Prominent among these ques-
tions Is the following At what stage Of
growth do you prefer to cut grass to make
into English and into swale hay, and what
is your reason for your preference"
In 1856, Mr.. Flint, Scc'y of the Mass.
Board OF Agriculture, issued circulars (con-
tanning the above quoted queries to prac-
tical farmers all over the State. The re-
plies from about one hundred and fifty
towns are, that farmers prefer to cut the
principal grasses, timothy and red top,
when in full blossom; red clover, when
about half the heads are in blossom and
swale grass, before it is ripe, and generally
before blossoming, if possible, so as to pre-
vent il from becoming hard and wiry.'
This question is unquestionably found
ed on correct principle, the object Of the
farmer being to secure his hay, so as to
make it most like grass in its perfect con-
dition. The nutritive substances of grass
are those, which are, for the most part, SOL
ube in water, such as sugar, gluten and
other compounds Now if this is so, it is
evident that the grass should be cut at the
time when it contains the largest amount
of these principles. From its earliest
growth the sugar and other soluble sub
stances gradually increase till they reach
their maximum per centage in the blossom,
or when the seed is fully formed in the
cell, From this period the saccharine mat
ter constantly diminishes, and the woody
fibre, perfectly insoluble in water and innu-
tritious, increases till after the seeds have
matured, when the plant begins to decay
Of course, if the plant is not cut in the
flower, great part Of the nutriment of its
stems and leaves is wasted
The Secretary of the Maine Board of
Agriculture issued circulars among the
farmers Of that State propounding series
OF questions upon practical matters con
nected with the farm. In the report of
1889, is found responses from many farm
ers, in reference to the proper time Of cut
ting grass for hay. \ large majority of
them say that the English grasses should
be cut while in blossom, and clover as soon
as a portion Of the heads have become Of
a brown color.
Says Mr. Sec'y Goodale, in his Report,
The principal point to be inquired into in
order to decide the best period for cutting,
is, when does grass contain the most nutr:-
ment? And to this, no definite and pre-
else answer can be given, which will be
alike correct in all cases, for the reason
that in different grasses this stage is not
the same, being earlier in some than 9th
ers but for general answer, both theory
and the opinions derived from the expert
ence Of the great majority of intellig gent
and observing farmers concur in the reply
- when in full blossom, or while the
bloom is falling At this period most
grasses have, so far as can be Judged, OBJ
tanned from the soil and from the atmos-
pherc; the greatest amount which they will
have at any stage Of growth, which is Of
value as food for animals, and these exist
at this period in the most valuable form.
The changes which take place subsequent
ly are chiefly within the plant; part of
the starch, sugar, gum, albumen, &c, soon
20 to assist in the formation of seed, and
Il part to constitute woody fibre, which is
lndlgestlble and worthless and so much as
IS thus converted, is actual loss OF hay
cut at later stage, cattle will doubtless
eat less, and some infer from this that it
will 'spend better but the true reason
8hy they eat less is, because the system
can digest and assimilate less. The actual
benefit derived from hay is in proportion
TO the available nutriment contained in it.
As far as our observation extends, the
prevalent opinion is, that more loss is sus
tained by late, than too early cutting
That grass is sometimes mown too early,
there is no doubt; but as a general rule.
the farmer had better err on the safe side,
and commence haying early, if he has a
large amount to harvest, even if he suffers
some loss by shrinkage to the first
mown. 1t gives him better chance to
make hay while the sun Shines for he
has longer period to secure his crop be-
fore it is dead ripe, and sometimes saves
hiring help, when labor is at its highest
price, aud scarce at that
We have attended many auction sales
of hay, and almost without exception the
early cut and well secured hay brought a
higher price than that made from the
same varieties of grasses, but not cut till
the seeds had matured.
We think much might be gained by
sowing different fields, those varieties ot
grass seeds that mature at about the same
time. The southern and western clover.
usually ripen before red-top and timothy
are sufficiently matured for moving
Orchard grass, June grass, meadow fescue
and some other varieties of grasses, worthy
OF cultivation, are fit for the scythe abou
the time the above named clovers are, anC