Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-06-30
Haying.

uaylng.
The grass crop is one of the most i'm,
portant raised and harvested by New
England Farmers. A short crop of hay
affects our finances more sensibly than
the failure of half of the other produc-
tions Of the farm. CAN flesh is grass" is
a suggestive assertion. But at present
our business is to turn it into hay
When and how it shall be cut, are in
quiries'that have been answered different,
ly by different people, something accord
ing TO the education, practice and circum.
stances of those who answer them.
Our attention has been drawn to the
subject by an article which we saw not
long since in an agricultural paper, eau
tioning farmers against cutting their grass
too early. In the days of the hand-scythe,
it took so long to go over the whole now
| ing land OF our farms that most farmers
were compelled to commence early and
finish late, without much regard to what
they considered just the right time to cut
this or that variety Of the grasses which
composed the bulk of their hay. The
general Introduction o moving and
other machines is giving farmers a much
better control Of the business, and conse.
quently the question as to that particular
stage in the growth of the grasses, at
which they yield the most valuable hay,
becomes OF greater practical importance.
We have adopted it, as a sort of gene
raj rule in our own practice, that in order
10 get the best and sweetest hay, the grass
should be cut soon after the bloom first
appears. Hay cut at this period should
not be allowed to remain long spread out
in hot sun but when fairly wilted, so
that, upon taking it in the hand, some of
the dryest portions will snap a little, it
should then be thrown into high packed
cocks and covered with caps, if at hand.
In this condition the cocks may stand
forty-eighL hours with decided advantage,
and all that will be necessary afterwards
is to throw the cock open to the sun and
air for three or four hours, when it may
be carted in. Cut at this time and cured
in this manner, hay will retain its nutri-
tious qualities, its green bright color, and
that peculiar fragrance no less agreeable
to the taste Of the cattle than to the nose
Of their owner when be enters the barn.
The following statement of the opin-
ions and practices of several distinguished
New York farmers, as to the proper time
for cutting grass, was published some
years ago in the Country Gentleman.
John Johnson-The loss farmers sus-
tain by letting their hay get ripe, is i'm
mense. / would rather have four quarts
of meal per day, with good green timothy
hay, than to have a peck with ripe hay
to fat a steer with, Cut grass or clover
green, cure in swalhs or cock, and it will
make sheep or steers fat in five months,
without grain, il they are properly attend
ed to, but still it is more profitable to
feed part grain. was raised in a coun-
try where grass was thought ready to
cut as soon as large enough aud after
come here, | followed the same practice,
although in opposition to the opinion
and practice Of my good neighbors.
followed the practice so long anu uau so
many opportunities to prove il, that |
know to a certainty that my practice is
right. For some s or 10 years past, I
have used timothy hay. Previous to that
| used more clover. Very often have
not been able to get it all cut before har-
vest and having several cattle and sheep
yards, some one lot of cattle had to eat
the ripe hay, and | am perfectly sure that
it is a great loss to let timothy hay get
anything near ripe; in fact, whenever it
begins to come in blossom, it is time to
begin cutting. II there is much 10 cut,
and not plenty of hands, some will then
get too ripe. l would prefer good wheat
straw, cut before it is too ripe, to ripe
timothy for either sheep or cattle.
c. NJ. Bement-Was formerly in the
habit of cutting his timothy quite late,
because it was eaiser cured after it got
pretty ripe, but he ascertained, from care
full experiment in using hay thus cut,
that it wanted substance, and that the
best time for cutting hay was when the
grass was in blossom.
Sanford Howard-The stems Of grass
es were filled just before the formation
of the seed, with a starchy or saccharine
substance. In perfeeting the seed, the
stems were exhausted of this substance,
it being consumed in forming the seed.
The plant should be cut before the nu-
lriment has passed from the stems.
w. II. Sotham-Would as soon have
good bright straw for cows or sheep, as
timothy bay cut after it has gone to seed.
Cut all his hay early. There was an
other great advantage in cutting early
the roots retained their life and strength
better, and the after feed and future crop
were more abundant.
j. Pratt-Commences cutting his hay
generally before any one else thinks of it,
or as it begins to blossom, ard gets help
enough to cut it all as soon as possible.
He has kept a dairy of sixty cows for
nine years, and attributes his success
with his cows, aud the fine healthy APP
pearance of his other stock, mainly to
early cut hay.