The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-07-01
Farmers department.

Various kinds OF grass mature sui
fciently to cut at successive periods on
land of the same quality. The crop
may be diminished by too early cut
ting, and its quality hurt by cutting
late. Grass ought to be cut when the
greater part of it has attained its full
size, and is well in blossom. Where
many kindsgrow together itrequiresno
little experience to Judge well, exactly
when to put in the scythe. Grass cut
ripe, is not only more tough and woody, |
and in danger of drying SO as to be !
brittle, and waste when handled, but
the hav is not so sweet or nutritious.
When cut with the scythe, the grass
is left in swaths, which hold most OF
the dew so that very little sun dries
the ground. Guided by the dryness
of the ground, the swaths are gener-
ally spread very soon after cutting,
when this is done after 7 or 8 o'clock
in the morning. 1t is much better IN
our experience, to wait not only TIL the
ground is dry but warm, before spread
ing. 1t is as important to know when
to stop curing" hay or rNther when
to stop summing it. as to know when
to begin to cut. Hay cures better in
the cock than it does in the sun. The
juices of the grass if dried slowly be-
come inspissated, thatis. thick or gum
my, without undergoing amy percopti-
BILE change except loss OF water. II
after the drying has commenced the
grass becomes wet, change takes place
very soon, and this is seen in its bleach
ing if exposed, or heating if covered
This condition of inspissation, or gum
miness of the juices, is attained much
more easily in grass cut before it is
ripe than afterwards, and the liability
to such hay OF heating or damaging by
either rain or lying in close heaps Is
less While the grass is still fresh it
will bear the hot sun and wilt rapidly,
but after it has parted with most OF
its water it ought to be dried more
slowly. This is effected in cocks which
lie up loose, so as to permit free CIR
culation of air, and if hay-caps be
used the curing process goes on dur
ing the night or even during rainy
days It may be that the heaps dc
not really dry much after the heat OF
the sun is out of them, nights and
rainy days, but the moisture in the
greenest locks distributes itself through
the rest of the hay and the whole mass
becomes evenly cured. Hay-caps ought
not to cover more than the upper
third of the cocI-otherwis the venti
lation is interfered with. If made o
good unbleached cotton, yard and {
quarter square, they will afford sui
ficient protection.
In bright weather hay ought neve-
to be spread thin or stirred much on TIN
second day, but after getting heated
through both by the sun and the actor
OF the warmed ground upon which tn
cocks are opened, it should be throw
together in loose heaps to finish, am
as soon as lock wrung in the hand
exhibits no moisture, and it has
good sweet, hay smell, it may be cor
sidered cured enough to put up j
cocks as large as can conveniently b
made, capped and left thus one or seN
eral days to "sweat' before getting il
to the barn This we think is til
surest way, to get sweet green ha,
Yet hay may often be cut and mad
in single day, and housed befol
night, which if well sailed in the mo
will be good and sweet. 1t is moi
important to cure clover in cocks, tina
any other kind.
The moving machine makes gre
changes in the labor, but not in Il
principles of hay making. LIST. III
grass is not cut till the dew is off. 2
1t lies spread as thin as it stood, al
needs little, if any, stirring-if an
turning with fork, following the tra'
of the machine backward, is most co
venient. After three or four hou
summing, the horse rake will gather
into winrows, SO that all that is cut /
fore noon may be in cocks by o'clo
before the dew begins to fall.
capped, it will endure long siege
rainy weather. A few hours exposu
to the sun and air fits it for eocki
up to sweat as before stated. III
system dispenses with the "hay-teddC
or hay-stirring machine. Hay-loade
though sweat before the public, hs
not been sufficiently tested. Unloi
ing horse-forks of sundry patterns
save much hard work, asthmatic +
ture and sweltering up under the rio
pole. There is'a plan also Of lift
the entire load at once-which be
ever seems of doubtful utility. tn
contrivances for dumping in la
masses Of hay make the old hay lII
convenient in getting it out agf
Large mows never ought TO be mi
without yentilating passages rnun
perpendicular through them in IL
Is feet A few two inch anger he
being made within circle of II in
es in diamater in the floor, gr
bag filed with hay is set upon tin
and as the NOW rises the hay is tri
pied around the bag and it is gra
ally drawn up. The above princil
applicable to securing the hay crol
the best condition, with some sli
notifications, answer for everyth
else grown 10 cure dry fodder
APPLES EVERY YEAR.-lf you &
part of tree one year and the OF
part next year, your trees will
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