The Portland daily press., 1868-06-13
Open and Tight Barns.

Vermont farmer gives his explanation
barn in 1910, finishing it with unseasoned
boards, put on singly, and consequently the
barn had many ventilators as the cracks were
neither small nor few. He soon learned that
the hay must be well cured before putting it
into the barn, or it would heat, mould and
sometimes spoil in the centre of the NOV,
while near the walls of the barn the hay was
bright and good. He also learned that in
leaving the barn doors open during the hay
season, as many farmers do, the hay next to
the floor, especially near the door, looked
like hay which had taken the storm and been
badly washed. Another fact he learned from
old farmers that hay intended for the stack
must be thoroughly cured, even more so than
for the barn.
This same farmer built another barn in
1850, and made the walls tight as common
double boarding would make them. Nov
hear the result. He says: 1 have not, dur
ing the sixteen years 1 have used this barn,
had a particle of mouldy or burnt hay ex-
cept it was wet by storms and put in before
dry. l cart my bay much greener than for
merly. L do not hesitate to cart English hay
that is sufficiently ripe, as soon as / can after
it is cut, provided there is no dew or wet up
on it when moved. My hay is relished bet
ter by the stock than that which is all dried
up. If the grass is very green, or stout
clover, would prefer to let it stand in the
cart over night, but think too much drying
Injuries the hay"
He has often cut clover and herdsgrass that
yielded more than two tons per acre in the
forenoon and carted to the barn in the after
noon of the same day, and it came out nice
and bright in the spring. With the knowl-
edge thus gained from his experience he
comes to the conclusion-that the less the air
circulates through the mows, or the less ex-
posed the hay is to the weather, the better
for the hay, and the less liable it is to heat.
He thinks that by closing all cracks or ave-
nues, for the winds and storms, what heat
there may be in the hay is equally dissemin-
ated through the entire mass without injury
to the hay; but if the heat be forced from the
outside surface to the centre, the outside hay
will be bright while the centre will be more
or less injured, > sometimes burnt and
mouldy.
Having thus experimental he will always
store his hay in barns made tight as practi-
cable, notwithstanding there may be theories
not based upon practice to the contrary
Another fact he thinks he has learned from
experience, that cattle thrive best in winter
when at temperature little above the
freezing point. If kept so warm and close as
to sweat, or become moist, they will lose their
appetite and not feed well. No doubt it is
better to have the barn cool rather than toe
warm. But we apprehend the cattle of our
State suffer more from cold than from
warmth during our long hard winters. They
need the right temperature in the barn a:
much as their owners do in their houses. A
very little trouble will regulate the tempera-
ture OF the stable, but this little trouble is
sometimes avoided much to the injury o
farm stock. Ifcattle have no souls they have
flesh and blood and bones which ale sensitive
to the changes of the atmosphere, and far
mers ought TO think of that and govern them
selves accordingly. If these animals could
speak they would often tell some tales moi
very creditable to their owners. How true
it is that merciful man is merciful to hi.
beast, and it is often quite as true that cru
e man is cruel to his beasts.
Ii there is place of torment in the wild
universe those persons will find 1T who cru
ely treat and abuse those animals that have
not the use of speech to make known theil
miseries, nor the power to defend themselves
against such cruelties. The good and amia.
BILE Cowper has said that he would not enter
on his list of friends the man who would
needessly set his foot upon worm. 1t is
better to step aside and let the reptile live.
AGRIcor