White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1865-09-07
for tbt farnler.
uay Curing and Stacking.

Every farmer should endeavor to provide for
bis stock an abundant supply of good hav-l
Our wild prairie grass, when cut at the right
time and well cured, furnishes fodder for stock
both nutritious and sweet. From present ap-
pearances, hiy will be abundant; and it be-
hooves our farmers to secure a good crop. lfl
well cured and well stacked, it will keep bright
and sweet for long time; and when two or
three tons per acre can be cut, it is much cheap
er putting it up than in those dry seasons,
where large area has 10 lie mown over to get
Q little. We think it would be time and money
saved if, during the present season. q two
years stock of hay were secured.
We are of the opinion that with us the
prairie grass is not cut sufficiently early. If
cut late, a large share of the natural juices of
the crop is allowed 10 escape, and the dry and
innutritious stalk alone remains. When this
ia the case the fodder is unpalatable, and its
more important feeding elements are lost.
Grass should be cut when it begins to blossom,
for then it contains the maximum of sugar and
starch, which are the real nutritive qualities
Ifpracticable, the grass should be cut in the
morning and raked up and put in small cocks
in the afternoon This, in most cases, will
cure the hay sufficiently. If it is to remain
some days in the field, it would be well the
second day to put several IF these little cocks
together, to secure them more effectually from
wetting in case of rain, and from becoming too
dry and crisp from the hot sun and drying
winds.
When the hay is well cured, it should be
moved without delay from the field to be barn
or stack. In this comparatively dry climate,
we believe that hay is as well preserved in the
stack as in the barn. But it must be we'll stack
ed. If put up careIessy, much of it will be
spoiled or greatly injured. In constructing the
stack, too much care canot be exercised.
For various reasons, we prefer the oblong
stack to the round. It is more easily built
and preserves the hay equally as we'll. The
site for the stack should be perfectly dry II
would be well to place at the bottom straw
branches of trees or rails, so as TO prevent the
hay from gathering moisture from the ground
Before commencing the stack it would be q
good plan to place stones. or pieces of wood
40 as distinctly to make out its extent and out
line. The width of the stack should not ex
coed fifteen feet, 30 that the air may penetrate
it and prevent the hay from heating. If the
hay is not sufficiently cured, salt sprinkled OF
it at Intervals few quarts to the ton-woult
help preserve it and keep it sweet. A stack
forty feet long, twelve feet high after settling
and fifteen feet wide, is computed to contain
some fourteen tons of hay. After the stach
has been built up some fourteen feet high, the
ridgiDg or roofing should commence. The
sides should be gradually drawn in till perfect
roof is formed. Care should be taken to have
the hay distributed through the stack so thai
there shall be no unevenness of surface, a uni
form density, and perfect regularity of form
The roof should be sufficiently steep to sheG
rain Of however long continuance or driving
severity. After the roof is carefully finished
and the sides well raked down, it would be vel
to put ropes, with rails alta ,hed, over the ridg
ing at intervals of six or eight feet. Withou
this prevention, he high winds would be yer,
apt to tear off the top OF the stack, and send thu
hay kiting through the air. Large quantitie.
of hay are spoiled every year for little extr,
care and attention in stacking.