Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-07-07

lFrom The Cutpator and Country Gcntlcmanl
"Reminiscences Of Enriy iieyins Suggestions q
Feeding. &c.
In the old times | remember. we used 4
cut our rcd-top carly put IL in the barn I'm
dried, spread il on the rails aud leave il Their
until the rest ofthe haying was begun. Their
was nothing finer than this red-top with SOM
timothy mixed in) thus cut early--cut whei
quite tender, and dried IN The shade.
When the rest Of the hay was brought in
this was removed to some convenient ploc
for spring iccd-for "plowing hay as w
used to call it, and to feed to cows after calv
ing This was considered equal to stopping
aud had a very good effect as VIC remember
1t served az a hint to the treatment Of the res
Of the hay in the same manner and led TO il
in measure All our swae grass was treat
ed in this way, and made an excellent fodder
| Whatever its virtues may have been, we know
/ il had good effect, superior " any other hay
superior because cut when green and tender
with all the juices in it. II was cat grccdily
and had a healthul, inyigorating influence
The next cutting was nearly equal to this, il
well cured, which was not always The case, as
the facilities Of The present day were not ther
enjoyed. What followed was hard dry feed
But the difference between the hay dried
in the field aud that cured in the barn! II
was but necessary to put the two sidc-by-side
to forever influence one IN favor of the carly
cut barn-drje3 hay. Here was, to all ap.
pcuncc, the perfection of cured grass Not
particle OF dow or rain had touched &C.
What sweating 10 had had was slight and
without hurt or change Of the hay. The age
has yet to discover % way to get all our hay
like this cured grass, thc natural food from
time immemora of stock in its original state.
and as we know by experience, a benefit now,
fed alone.
But it seems we must have some other feed
--varioty--tho one thing cannot be good it is
thought, and it is oven held by mcn who pre-
tend TO science that hay land gras,) alone
disposcs to apoplcxy and other maIadics. But
give MS the grass without The roots, without
the grain; but it must be grass-groen, sue
eulent grass Of The summer, aud the same
grass without the water (only the juices con-
centrated) in winter. This has been the ex-
pcrience here, and 20 decidedly that there can,
1t seems, be no mistake.
Now ii is good enough to feed other food
sometimes; it is under some circumstances
economical and necessary. Well cured straw,
cured when yet green, and cut and mixed
with little grain, or the oil Of the linseed or
roots added we know to be good; but the
oil and the turnip aud carrot have their effect
on the milk, the very thing for which cattle
are kept, and it will not do to add an oboc-
ionablc flavor 1t will do to feed other
stock than milch cows these things. Turnips
are a cheap food, and therefore beneficial for
such stock but for mich cows give us the
natural lo0d-the grasses--wintor and sum-
ncr. We say this, not because it seems to be
contradictory to established usage, but because
We have seen its effects, and have seen it
more the past winter than ever.
The hay, which the excellent season for
lrying last year gave us, has its effect stock
lever looked so well. There never was so
title grain and so much hay fed 1t is found
lere that it will not pay to feed much grain;
he prices are too high.
The only thing, in the way Of pure feed |
f hay the winter through, is the harvesting
I some Of the hay when too ripe This re-
uires additional feed hence loss in conse-
ucnce Of over maturity. The mouldy black
ned mass Of carly cut mperlectly cured
rass is preferable to this; not that we advo-
ate the feeding Of mould, but cattle will eat
18th more avidity such hay--or what else
on may call it--and do better on it, give
oro milk, and thrive better generally, than
a the dead ripe hay which is the vogue Of
lc old-fashioned farmers We have, long
nee, had enough Of this woody fibre which
nnot be digestedi however much substance
may contain, il is lost in great part, and .
c sanitary effect never accompanies it as in
cen grass or the same we'll cured We in
nde clover with the grasses. Fa.
Herh5mcr County, ~ Y. !