The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-07

tured grass with equal relish. For horses
then, grass when fully grown. win do. To
turn adsiry into meadow When the grassis
fit for the scythe would not be so>-weIl- to
turn it into 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 a season ; so economy has something
to do in making hay. Grass, when in bios
som, has its full growth, excepting the seed.
1t is yet tender in measure, and it has one
advantage which no other stage of the grass
possesses it develops its sugar then. Es-
pecially is this the case with clover, whose
head, when in blossom, is globe ofsweetness.
Its large honey cells are evident enough.
This comes with the period of blossoming,
and with it passes away. Glover then should
be cut when in blossom to secure the sugar,
as we'll as other properties equally nutritious
which, if the grass is kept standing longer.
yanishes. The best farmers have, therefore,
decided that the poisoning time is the best
time to cut the grasses, especially clover
When grass is ripe what is it good Tor Ger
tainly not for pasture and will it be better
when it is still farther dried and made hard ?
The blossom finds it still tender, with addition.
al juices of value, which before and after it
idoes not possess. Hence, repeat, the bios
soming time is the time for cutting grass.
The next thing is, to save it as near in this
state as can be. To dry it thoroughly, so
that that the tenderest part becomes brittle
and falls off in the handling, will not do The
stalk also will become harsh and of o 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-bet-
ter dry air slone-till it is thoroughly wilted.
Then the moisture-mere water-has pretty
well escaped, and the juices holding in solu-
ton the valuable qualities, are present, and
in themselves spelling, but keeping the hay
soft and plant. Heat, continued, will evap-
rate these, and rain or two, with adj
ditional heat to dry, will thoroughly remove
all the remains of the juices, or their proper
ties, for they are very delicate and cvanes-
cent held lightly. The sun is injurious. 1t
beaches and evaporates too strongly. The
best way is to cure grass in the shade. Hence
the excellence of hay when cured in the barn,
scattered over the rails, as is often done when
a little grass is cut before harvest has set in Z,
and spread out to dry in this way. 1t is the
greenest Of green's. This is probably the
best mode of curing hay; but as it is not
practicable only to small extent, we may
resort to other means
, When we'll wilted, which will take from
several hours to half day, rake your hay
into winrows Leave there, or make into
he. Nv
larger. Here let it remain for about two
re days and half. Then stir or spread apart
little; Ieave for few hours, and then into
the NOW with it. AS it then goes in, so it
will come out--as green almost as the grass
itself, with slight yellow tinge which the
C sweating operation impaired, but did not in
e jure. The hay will feel heavy, as it is
y heavier than when dried to death but it
d will not spoil, depend upon it, it is cured.
o You have the same grass here which so re-
. Gently was in full blossom and SO tender with
, juices And when you come to feed it out in
the winter, it is then that you will see the ben
eft Of curing grass instead of bleaching it
and drying it into straw. In market its su
perior weight is an advantageous color also
" and its fragrance, for the fragrance of the
:, early harvest field is still there.
% Such hay is worth making, and there is no
~ excuse for not making it. We have the ma
chinery to cure it. IF rain interferes, salt
- will save your hay. When there is the ap-
as pearance of rain, haul in your hay, even if
d the midst of the sweating operation, or even
10 sooner Avoid rain by all means. Salt will
save hay when cut the day it is put into the