The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-07-07

maple sap or cider, The process is ac-
celebrated by its exposure to this, air in
small quantities, asby flteringthronggh
a barrel of shavings.-So in wilted
grass, the diluted sugar is not only
liable to sour, but does sour, when ly-
ing through a warm night, saturated
with dew.
IF we take the constituents of grass
as they exist, i'll q mere concentrated
form, i'll corn, wheat or barley, and
pack them i'll Il partially dried state, as
hay is often packed, and allow them
to fermcnt and steam rs hay is allow
ed to do, the gluten, starch and sugar
are speedily so changed as to spoil the
gram for food. If the housekeepcr
uses meal from such damaged grain,
she may prepare it for food, but those
who partake of it will detect the
"mould," or whatever we may call the
results of the fermentation. So hay
that fcrments ON the NOW till it gives
off n Soul odor, and afterwards be
comes dry, reveals doubtless a similar
sour m~ustincss during the process of
mastication. AS heated and musty
grain is not as healthy or nutritious
as that kept dry and sweet, we con-
clude the same is true Of soured and
heated hay. .-s
If / could have my hay made and
put into the barn in a perfectly salts
factory manner, I should desire a
good hay day, in which the dew would
dry off early in the morning, and be-
fore it was entirely gone, say half-past
seven o'clock, 1 would start the NOW
ing machine and cut an acre an hour
till noon /; then start the hay tender,
20 as to stir all the grass cut once be-
fore noon; then after dinner, lift seem
ed desirable, stir with hay tender
again, to rake with the horse rake be-
fore the grass Is dry enough to break
badly ; bearing in mind that the stir
ring, raking, and tumbling should be
done while the hay is drying, and not
after it is so dry that the leaves and
heads will break off.
At about three or four o'clock, the
hay that yields from one to two tons
per acre timothy, rcd top and clover,
Will OC I'LL III 1lS III Suu, lCbbJ
to cart, and a smart gang of hands
will, if the barns are conveniently and
centrally situated, put the hay under
cover. The hay, if dry, Will come
out in the winter in good shape.
In a poor hay day., 1 would NOW,
shake and rake the same, getting all
the moisture out possible, and if it was
half dried, and the weather seemed to
be ~unfayorable, I would get it in, pre-
ferring to risk the damage in the NOV
rather than the effects Of wetting.
The effect of a shower is very bad,
much of the nutriment in grass being
very soluble, as is shown by the manner
stockmen raise calves occasionally.
Put a handful of hay into a pail and
pour boiling water upon 1.-THE wa
ter soon turns off n dark color, and is
a ~nourishing drink for the calves.
Thus n shower of rain in q warm day
upon hay, must wash out much of the
soluble matter, and the soluble part
is nutritious. The dew does not
wash the hay, but dilutcs the sugar so
that it is likely to turn into vinegar.
Dew, however, docs not injure' hay
until it is wiited. When it wits it is
dead, and unless dried, decomposition
commences. If it is. necessary to leave
iu the field partially dried hay free
from water, it keeps better in cocks
covered with hay caps.-Co'. ~. Z.
Farmer. --.::.