The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-07-10
Curing Hay.

things first, cut your grass when in bios
som; second, dry it not much third, let i
&c through the sweating process before i
goes into the barn. On these three things
depend your quality of hay. Hay shoulc
be grass preserved The nearer to the fresh
terder, succulent grass you get it, the better
Could We have grass growing in winter, how
much better than hay. Well, hay is an at
tempt to do this as near as you can. W.
dry apples and berries SO that we may have
them in the winter. We put fruit in bottles
and exclude the air, so as to have it a. neal
the fresh fruit Of summsr as may be. But
We can't have it absolutely fresh. SO we dc
the best thing We can" preserve" it. Sc
with grass. We preserve 1t, and hay Is
the result. Could We cut our pastures when
the grass is tender and young, and save it in
that state, what an invention that would be
Perhaps it will vet be done. What feed
such grass makes (when cured well) for mich
cows and young stock. Horses will eat more
matured grass with nearly equal relish.
For horses, then, grass, when fully grown
will do. 10 turn dairy into a meadow,
when the grass is fit for scythe, would not
be so we'll as to turn it in fresh pasture in
June. But we cannot cut our pastures.-
There would be too much labor to harvest
your grass three or four times in season !;
so economy has something to do in hay
making. Grass, when in blossom, has its
full growth, excepting the seed. 1t is yet
tender in q measure, and it has one advau-
tage which no other stage of the grass pos
sesses-it develops its sugar then. Especial
ly is this the case with clover, whose head,
when in blossom, is 6 lobe of sweetness.-
Its large honey-cells are evident enough.
This comes with the period of blossoming,
and with it passes away Clover then should
be cut when in blossom to secure the sugar,
as well as other properties equally nutritious,
which, if the grass is kept standing any long
er, vaniskes. The best farmers have, there
fore, decided that the blossoming time is the
best time to cut the grasses, especially clover.
When grass is ripe what is it good for p
Certainly not for pasture; aud will it be bet
ter when it is still further dried and made
hard The blossom finds it still tender, with
additional juices of value, which, before and
after it does not possess. Hence, | repeat,
the blossomlng time is the time Tor cutting
grass.
The next thing is, to save it as near in
this state as can be. To dry it thoroughly,
so that the tenderest part becomes brittle
and falls on in the handling, will not do
The stock also will become harsh and of a
woody nature There is world Of such
we will not call it hay. What then must be
done. Expose your hay to the.sun and dry
air-better dry air alone-till it is thorough.
ly wilted. Then the moisture-mere watel
has pretty we'll escaped, and the juices hold
ing in solution the valuable qualities, are
present, and in themselves not spelling, bu
keeping the hay soft and plant. Heat, con.
tinued, will evaporate these, and a rain ol
two, with additional heat to dry, will thor
oughly remove all the remains of their juices
or their properties, for they are very delicate
and evanescent, held lightly. The sun II
injurious. 1t bleaches and evaporates to'
strongly. The best way is to cure grass II
the shade. Hence the excellence of ha,,
when cured in the barn, scattered over tn
rails as is often done when little grass /
cut before harvest has set in, and spread ou
to dry in this way. |, is the Sreenest Q
greens. This is probably the best mode c
curing hay; but as it is not practical only t
a small extent, so we must resort to othe
means.
When we'll wilted, which vii! take from
several hours to half a day, rake your ha
into winrows. Leave there or make int
cocks; lor clover, small clocks; timothy
larger. Here let it remain for about tw
deys, or two days and half. Then stir c
spread apart little leave for few hour
and then into the NOW with it. As it the
. goes in, so it viii! come out-as green almo:
as the grass itself, with slight yellow ting
6 which the sweating operation impaired, bl
did not injure. The hay will feel heavy
and it is heavier than when dried to death
: but it will not spoil, depend upon it, it
4 cured. You have the same grass here whic
+ so recently was in full blossom and SO tend
y with Juices. And when you come to feed
y out in the winter, it is then that you will 81
e the benefit of so curing grass instead
+ bleaching it, and drying it into straw.
market, its superior weight is an advantas
it its color also, and its fragrance, for Il
x fragrance of early harvest field is still ther
It Such hay is worth making, and there is
y excuse for not making it. We have the m
4 chinery to cure it. If rain interferes, 81
e will save your hay. When there is the a
pearance of rain, haul in your hay, even if
u the midst of the sweating operation, or ev
u sooner. Avoid rain by all means Salt W
al save hay when cut the day it is put in t
IS barn. Sometimes long rains will serious
n n interfere with hay making, but generally n
ye And much, very much, is depending up
the advantages of which We may avail O
selves. 1t is seldom that with the aid O.
he baromoteD one misses his guess at
b. Ueathar Erar. La.. aaal-cr Shonld have