Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-07-17
1ritaltaral Department.
Having Time.


In The present month, begins the great hay
harvest This is, ia many respects, the most
Inpor;am in the whole year Although the
crop does hot fill the space in the public eye,as
an article Of foreign commerce, which cotton
does, it is yet Of greater money value. Ihluk
of its fundamental use, the support OF all kinds
Of farm.stock for SIX or seven months OF the
whole wear. IS one says 1t is IL fact, the
basis Of all farm operations, the key stone
which sustains them and gives them all their
success. The test Of farm is the number OF
cattle it feeds, ana the cattle in turn feed the
so;l" Let us, then, see to it that our crop
this wear is we'll aud seasonably made and
properly stored.
In preparing for this annual campaign, be
sure that all other pressing labor is oat OF the
way. This work is enough of itself to occupy
ones time aud thoughts while it lasts TO
have ether cares superadded, harnesses and
pecplexes>one so I-uch as TO make his true
a1d pgdber.work very disagreeable. Get all
other matters we'll ahead, SO as 10 feel at ease
about theta. Then, see that the tools and im
plements are in complete order-scythes, grind
stones, moving machines, hand rakes, horse.
rakes, pitch forks, wagons racks, and hay-ceps.
The extra hired heip-is that engaged p
enough of it ?-and Of such sort to be relia-
bic
The best time to cut hay, is an important
matter to determine The end sought in
gathering hay is, obviously, 10 cut it when it
contains It's most nutrtjve properties viz a:
Mucilago, starch, gluten and sugar. in the
best state for their preservation Experience
shows that that period is when the grass is
Just in full flower After this time, the fiber
becomes Hoody and indigestibe. The CycIo
pedia Of Agriculture says at has Keen
proved that plants of nearly all sorts, if cut
when in full vigor afterwords carefully dried
without any waste of their nutritive juices
contain nearly double the quantity of Dourish
ing matter which they do when allowed to at
tain their full growth and make some progress
towards decay" Yet some good farmers hold
that Timothy should not be cut until it passes
this stage, and has nearly rippebed its seed /?
and this chiefly for the reason that if cut earli-
er, the roots are weakened and the meadows
gradually destroyed. Still, as a general rule,
the prevalent method Of cutting grass when
in the milk, is the right one.
When hay is to be cut with scythes, the work
should begin early in the day the morning
dew is great help to the now:r. There
should be q liberal resting time at midday and
then the work resumed and carried on briskly
until evening. A lunch Of plain food, ,moiSten,
Ell with cold coffee or home ,brcwed beer, may
be brought into the meadow in the middle of
each forenoon and afternoon, il the hands will
be discontented without it, hut it is poor
policy too keep the hands and the stomach
both at work all the time, and three good
meals are best for any man, however hard bis
work. There is enough heat in haying time
without the addition fre,water" As to the
expedency OF using mowingmachine, we de-
clare decidedly in their favor, especially on
farms Of considerable extent They save time
labor, great deal Of anxiety, and in the lorg
run, money When the moving -machiue is
used, do not cut rod before the dew is en-
tirey off, for when the hay is cut by the ma
chine, unless very heavy, it will need no stir.
ring
Make hay while the sun shines" is good
rule, but It may be carried too far in hayng
time. We want the bright sunshine first to
wilt the hay Thoroughly then let the drying
process stop. Rake up the grass in high cocks
while still hot. II rain threatens, put on the
hay caps, put them on by four o'clock to keep
off heavy dews. The grass nay he in cocks
two days OR less, as convenient for the farmer.
On clear day, open the cocks. about tie
middle Of the forenoon after the ground is
warm,ior al airing, spreading the hay aud
turning once or twice for two or three hours !;
then hau! to The barn The practice of salt
ing hay, at the time Of storing it, is quite un-
common, aud it is applied the more abundant
ly when the hay is imperiectly cured. A lit,
lie salt, say two or three quarts to the ton, can
wisely be applied. More than this does little
good, and On the whole may be injurious
Amsyican AgrlcaLarsst.