Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-07-18
These knowledres s;,eres,

! deterioration. These knOwledges shgEesi
the proper season for moscing the grass, and
the proper modes of saving or thinning it,,
| He also says that it is an erroneous idea that
the proper time to cut grasses is when they
have attained their greatest height or give
the largest quantity of hay. For chemical
! research has shown the more solubleconstit-
nents Of grass are those which are most avail
able for the purposes OF nutrition and il fol-
| lows from this that grass should be mown
/ when it contains the largest amount of these
soluble matters. The principal constituent
of young grass is water, containing sugar,
starch and gluten in solution; as il advances
in growth. the sugar and starch become con-
verted into less soluble. and therefore less
nutritious coinpouiids and when it runs ill.,
to seed, the gluten il absorbed in the matur-
alton Of the latter. and the clum assumes III,
condition OF hard, indigeStible. woody fihrys
This best condition is attained when I'd,
gra, has just started into flower, before the
constituents are absorbed IN the seed
Though the seed may contain this nutritve
matter in concentrated FORM yet much Of
it is lost in the process OF saving and BY
Keeping. and thus much of th. real value OF
the hay wasted. .....ss.r
The saving or winning OF hay consists,
WIN the process is r. rfert, essentially in the
renewal nf al, niolsrure from th> grass, with
out aity other ahaaP" in its constitution but
It's complet, ACCOMPLISHMENT is impractirable
except by the application Of artificial heat,
which, of course, can be employed only for
purposes of experiment, and on very limit
ed scale. If the has be- allowa,, 10 retain
. re- tible amount of moisture. or 30 ahsort
It from he atmospheric. IN result will he that
l., II.
according to III amount ut mo sfurr pr sent
and that the sugar ana IN, gluten of the
hay will I've DESTROYED, the former batng cor
vcrt d intn carhonic and alchohol the evou.
ton ,f o'hch is rvid mt from the odor given
off bv heated hay stack, which resemble
tina, felt in II brewery.
II has been found that FIR Sh grass is, OF
the average conver;ibl, into about 25 pcr
cent of its weight Of hay. If the latter,
therefore, suffered no deterioration in the
process of winning. % lbs. Of it should sub.
sis; a beast as well as 100 lbs of the former.
THIS is found not to be the case: however
a larger portion of hay being required, which is
practical proof that it has lost some Of its
nutrtiye value, since it was in the condition
Of grass. This loss, when it is not the result
of partial fermentation, is entirely owing to
the action of rain or wet, which dissolveS
and washes out the soluble constituents Of
the grass during the interval between it's be-
ing cut and won. The sugar and the soluble
salts are removed in this way, and the hay is
thus made to approximate to the insipid and
condition of woody fibre. 1t has
been rendered less palatable and less disesti.
Die. Beasts will not therefore, cat it with
the same avidity as if it had been properly
saved; and even if they did, 1t could not az
ford them the same nourishment II nee
essity, then. of using the utmost care and
Judgment in the haymaking process is APP
parent #"E"s M
The moving should be done as near the
ground and as evenly rs possible This not |
only gives the greatest weight of hay, but it |
also promotes the more rapid and vigorous
growth of the aftergrass. As soon as the
lew is off the swath, the tedders should be
set to work. The perfection of tedding con-
sists in the complete alteration of the stalks
Of grass from their longitudinal arrangement
and in its uniform distribution over the sur
face Of the meadow.
He recommends frequent and uniform
stirring Of the grass, to avoid the browning |
action of the strong sun. If the |
weather be cloudy, however. only so much |
stirring as will keep it from heating and SOW
ing. But he truly adds. Where so much |
depends on the changeable power of the
weather. the intelligent farmer will not move
in the trammels of fixed rules. AL we can
do is to furnish him with a,rineiples: and if
he can understand and appreciate these, he |
will he able to derive rules for himself, or to
modify the recognized rules so as to adapt |
them to his peculiar circumstances"
Clover should he cut when the heads are
in full flower, and should be allowed to lie in |
the swath until it is dry at the top, when 1t
is advisable TO turn il with rake. This I
turning should be done before the leaves be- |
rome SO dry as to crumble and the stalks be- |
come impaired. A few days Of favorable |
L.. II 1