Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-07-20
AGRICULTURAL.

E1AffNG AND -lAa NAfs.--t1a9i ing l.
a pleasant labor--ii seems TO inspire all
who are engaged ia i the crop comes
in so rapidly, and there is such wealth
IN the harvest, that all the household have
cheerful animation, and desire to help
i, along-the women assisting in pinch
cheeing on the labor with kindly word>,
or devising some unexpected treat when
the days toll is done, Bless the women
they are always ready to help along
good cause.
The idea is common that hay cauHot'
be made too much, but it is an erroneous
one, aud great loss is incurred by its
prevalence, If exposed too long to the
sun, and the hot drying winds, ii becomes
hard, brittle, loses its leaves and con-
siderable portion of its nutritive juices
and in this condition, if the grass is
coarse, the hay from it is not much better
than dried brush; at any rate, its value
is much deprecated. The farmer may
learn something of his wife, in this mat
ter, if he will observe waat course she
takes in preserving her sage or other
herbs, for culinary or medical purposes.
They are not cut and spread in the blaz-
ing sun, and the juices blown away by
the winds; but when cat, are taken d.
rectly into the shade, where they will
dry slowly. This is the practice with
the Shakers who put up large guam
titles of herbs for the markets; they in
cur heavy expenses for large drying
rooms, where their herbs are out of the
sun, but in well ventilated rooms. When
these herbs are thoroughly dried, SO that
they can be readily palveriEed, they re-
tain very nearly their natural color and
original fragrance, so that one pound of
them is probably worth as much as two
or three pounds would be, dried in the
sun. But as we cannot provide rooms
TOR drying our grass crops, we must come
as near that process as we can economi
cally; and that may be done by the use
Of cloth coverings, called " Hay-caps." !"
| Any farmers wife or daughter can make
them. They should be two yards square,
with loops at the corners Through which
to thrust pine sticks fifteen inches long,
up into the hay, Or they can be per
chased at fair prlce, already made, OF
Messrs. Chase g. Fay, 233, State street.
tSeston, or Of Nourse & CO., 81, Mer-
chants Row. A set of these caps, well
taken care of, will last farmer his life
time, as all the care they need is to be
kept dry when not in use.
Those of our friends who procure
and use half dozen hay caps, in getting
their hay and grain the present summer
will be quite sure to treble or quadruple
the number next summer. IF the season
should prove a catching one, they will
save their cost on the present crops
Never mind what disafected grBmblerI
say, whe are determined not to 'haw' Oh
gee only as the antedluvians did--bu
get a few and try them. Let old fogy'
dom go to mill on drag, if it pleases
while you set on well-stuffed seat ant
elliptic springs. You will find your girls
none the less sweet, or coarser for bring
ing little art to your aid. Bot try th'
hay caps, for several reasons:
/. You can make hey Buch fasfe
with them, even in good weather.
& 2. Your hay will be better PARTIAL,
made in the cock, under caps, than
would be made entirely in the SUM-
8. As the haylng season is short, yo
can have more grass down al once by th
: use of the caps, and thus get throug
;, haying quicker.
ri 4. The quality of your hay made IN
, der caps will be ten per cent. better;
e will be sweerer, brighter, less dusty, an
r 90 no farther in feeding out. provide
n the season is unfavorsble for making.
~ 5. You win save their entire cost
!, obviating the necessity of cooking an
N spreading out again quantities of ha
a which you can thoroughly make wit
10 their aid"
ne The course to be pursued IN the n
h of caps is. to cut the grass just at mig
ly or early in the morning, spread il al
turu it before one O'Clock, and imme6
ly ately after dinner cock and cover wi
re the caps. Cocks well made up, al
d. covered with such caps as we have d
%. scribed above, will come out unharm
a. after a storm of three Or four days. A
ter rain, when the surface has beeoE
dry and slightly heated, the cocks "
ar need little more than to be turned oy
q and partially opened for il will be fou
. that the process Of making has be
I.-zlfy al -. ss~.a III