The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-10-29
Cntting Grass and Curing Hay.

THERE is scarcely any work on the farm
of more importance than the proper Gu.
ring of hay, and as there are variety OF
opinions on the subject of the proper
time for cutting grass, and also regarding
the manner Of curiI & hay, we present
few facts connected with these subjects
We learn from the Neto England Farm
sr that in 1856 the Secretary of the
Massachusetts Board of Agriculture ad-
dressed q series of inquiries on the hay
crop to one or more farmers in each town
in the State, and this question was asked,
among others
"At what stage of growth do you pre-
fer to cut grass, to make it into hayf An
swers were received from more than two
hundred towns, and those from one hun.
dred and fifty towns, about three-fourths
of the whole, majority sufficient to over
come any veto, were in favor of cutting
timothy and red top when in full bloom"
As red clover and timothy do not ma
ture at the same tine, it is considered by
many intelligent farmers that first.rate
quality of hay cannot be obtained from
these two plants in conjunction, the clo-
yer being too ripe for hay before the timo-
thy has arrived at its highest state Of util-
ity for that purpose It Is probable that
the aslike clover will supersede red clover
as q meadow plant, as it ripens at the same
time as timothy, and is fit for the mower
when timothy has arrived at the proper
STAGE of its growth to make nutritious hay.
Although the general opinion is that
timothy ought to be cut when in full
bloom. the cause of this opinion probably
ia not that it makes the best hay when cut
at this stage. but if allowed to stand
longer the clover becomes dry and
worthless
Il is said that hay made from timothy
cut green is not 30 palatable to STOCK az
that made from the Same variety OF grass
cut after the seeds have been fully
formed, and so far ripened as TO shell
little when the hay is being housed OF
stacked. A farmer in Seneca county, n.
Y, cut some of his timothy before the
blossoms had fallen of. 1t was properly
cured and placed in NOW apart IRON
other hay. After harvest portion OF the
timothy which had been left standing, was
cut and harvested. In this the seed was
ripe and shelled considerably In the
moving of the hay. In winter an expert
ment was made in order to ASCERTAIN
which of the samples would be most rel
ished by cattle. A portion OF the green
hay was given to the cattle, and after they
had been feeding on it for . short time,
some of the hay which had been cut aiter
harvest and in which the seed wa: ripe,
was given 70 them, and they immedi.tely
stopped eating the green hay ana com,
menced at that which was ripe: Inc trlai
was made several times, and always with
q similar result
Notwithstanding the results Of this ex-
pertinent, it is well known that when grass
is allowed to come to full maturity, the
culms and leaves becomes woody and
hard and the greater proportion Of the
saccharine, or mucilsginous matter dis
appears, being either converted into
woody FIBRE or absorbed BY the seedsi IN
this respect the rich. Juicy. succulent stem
of unmatured grass acts - reservoir OF
m.cazine In which ingredients accumulate
to Supply the wants Of the future sesd. ana no
It & & The peyiod the stem contains its
Of nnb;tive matter that moving