Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-07-31
Aarifnltural.
Curing Clover Hay.

MrssRs. EprroRs.- the summer OF
1861, having n field of red clover to cut 1
concluded to try an experiment IN making
il into hay. or rather 10 vary the process
which generally take in making and hons'
ing clover hay.
NV practice for some years past has been
to cut my clover when about one.hhit OF the
heads were getting out Of the blow. or be-
ginning 10 turn brown. If II Is cut when
there Is no wet In. let Il lie 10 the swain
until Il IL wilted. and then put !. into COCKS,
usinc fork to do Il with. and taking smau
forkfus in making them; have he cocks
az small on the ground a. viii stand wen,
and not make them very large The next
day, if the weather Ia favorable, lay the
cocks over il the following manner -
With n fork take off the top OF the cock
and lay Il on the ground. then take on
another forkful and place II on the first ohe'
and so on until the whole has been laid up
and the cocks have been turned bottom up
wards. In this way the greener parts are
placed on the top and outside, and inc
whole leA loose So that the heat and AR
will circulate through it, and carry OH the
moisture. The third day open the COCKS
and let the hay be exposed TO the sun TOT
few hours, and then put ID In The barn.
Although this method OF curing clover
hay is great improvement on the o'u
method, (which was 10 spread out and dry
Il like fine grassy yet in this way there Is
some loss by the leaves and heads becoming
so dry as to shell off. =.
The way which designed to make this
field Of clover into hay, was to cure u en-
tirely in the cock, not TO open It at all, but
to lay the cocks over from day to day, I'M
iii the hay was suitable to put in the barn.
The clover was cut in the morning, IN me
afternoon the cocks were laid over. The
next morning, (the third day. the prospect
was hat we should have showers before
noon, and rather Than have this clover wet
! decided to put it into the barn, and as
soon rs the dew was off commenced cart
ing il in. Although this clover was well
wilted, and some of it partially dried, yet
at least one-ihird of il appeared tobe green
as when it was first put into the cock, ana
l expected it would be damaged some by
putting it in so green. but probably not any
more than by leaving it out and having 1t
get wet.
The clover was all put on a scaflo'd near
the barn door, so that when the door was
open it would receive the benefit of the air
or wind that might come in. After while
the scaffold was filed with other hay. Not
having occasion to use my hay the next
winter, this scaffold remand until the past
winter, in which have fed it out. AS be-
fore stated, / expected when | came to feed
out this hay, to find it mow-burnt, musty
and perhaps mouldy, but instead of this |
found all of it bright and sweet, and as
well cured in every respect as any hay
could be all of the heads and leaves were
on the stalks, and the whole was eaten by
my stock with as much relish as any hay
that | have, and it was eaten up clean,
stalks and all.
The summer of 1862 / cured all my clo-
yer hay in the cock, but it stood out longer
in the cock before it was put into the barn,
than that cut in 1861. All that | have yet
fed is as bright and as sweet as | want hay,
and judging by the way my stock eat it, and
thrive on il, it is worth as much as any lay
that have.
From my own experience in curing clover
in the way mentioned, am satisfied that
there is a saving of fifty per cent. over the
way practised by many. that is, to spread
out The clover and dry ii until the stalk is
dry. By this way large portion of the
heads and leaves fall off and are lost, these
being the most valuable part of the hay
when cured in this way. Especially is this
the case when the clover is allowed TO stand
until it is over ripe before it is cut Conn
try Gentleman.