Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-07-22
Securing the Hay Crop...Eurly
Cutting.

for this important crop? Have we
concluded to cut it early, or are we
going to do as We have done in the
past, put it off till the crop is ripe,
then commence and finish when 1t is
more than dead ripe, when the seed
has al! dropped and the stem rs wood?
Our hay is cut too late. The
wretched excuse comes up. Il have
as much as l can do to get over my
lot once, to say nothing of the time
and trouble of cutting two crops.
Besides cannot cure it," And 80
wood is Cut and fed, and stock suffer-,
for it is not economical, but loss to
feed grain with such hay, to feed such
hay under any circumstances. We
need not tell our farmers that this is
so-lhat ripe hay and much grain
will not DO. 1t will but just keen the
stock, and the expense is great.
Now all this can be remediel, is
yearly remedied, by simply putting
the harvest a few weeks forward
Cut when just getting into blossom,
if it is clover, for then two crops can
be gathered as well as one, and the
two will far outweigh the one mature
crop OF late cutting, besides beng So
much better. /. he quality that is the
main thing. This we see tested year
" to our satisfaction, and we have
the testimony of the best men on the
subject. Do not spoil your hay by
letting it get hard. Cattle do not
like to eat it then, it is dry and woody,
and is but slightly nutritious. Cut
early; use the hay tedder; it is the
most valuable instrument the farmer
possesses, for it is this which comes in
opportunity to aid the early cut hay,
aiding it in two ways, one putting the
hay in an airy position, the other by
preventing the sun from srorchins the
fine leaves. These, by the constant
use of the tedder, turning the hay
half dozen times or more, are kept
under a sufficient part of the time not
to become brittle, which they other.
wise would under the long direct rays
of the sun. But they are cured in the
shade-in the shade of the grass, tleir
own shade, SO to speak.
This seems too much like play
like needless work-to keep the ted
der going and repeating itself, when
the hay, with one passage of the in
strument, will be put in an airy posi-
ton. 1t will be still more airy when
INSTANTLY stirred. 1t will as we id
k.-p he sun from scorcling it. The
thing has been tried, and ii works ad
mira5lF.
In ;his way with the constant use
Of he teller hay can be cut in the
ra0rning, or the evening before, (dew
viii not hurt it then.) without the ted
der It would be ditficuli to do this
Now it can be fitted for the rake by
thlee O'clock, and if the stem is light,
sYoper, The more of it.
Then You have in vour NOV, put
in IL one day, not hay but June grass,
with he flavor of the grass secured,
for the sun has not barnt it, and the
putting at once into a body instead
81 a cock to cure, Sc, holds the odorS
and volatile essences. And when
his is fed out there is summer in its
effect. This we know by experience
Thoroughly. We see it done yearly
wi-h the greotest satisfaction.
Such hay (grass cured) is worth
more than the hay and grain usually
fed, including roots.
She animal is so much the more
healthy, a great consideration. There
is no trouble to prepare grain and
roots. And the whole strength or
nearly all, goes to the support of the
system. The hay cutter Is of less use
here. The hay need BIT be put be-
tore the stock, and that alone fed.
This is but little work, and is of great
consequence, dispensing with what
we are so apt to dispense with, and
cane, NV do in The long run, omit the
preparation of feed, cutting and
s,eaming it OF scalding. We have
pre- iudlces; this keeps us from seeing.
Even our own experience is seen
wrong, because the prejudice goes
with US. We must stick to the old
fully matured hay, especially for
horses" and get lhe full benefit"
Bnt the full benefit is not got; it
passes of. in part to the dung hill, be-
cause it cannot be diss olved in the
system.
Then only one crop is secured IN
this way, and lighter attergrow,h
than if two cuttings had been given.
Cut early, two fair crops of the best
quality can be secured, and good
growth to protect the field.
But the most is in the excellent
quality OF the crop, cut quite early;
remember early, not in full blossom,
as recommended, or even in blossom.
before the full red of the field is es
tablished.
Who cuts as early as this; who has
tried "early cut" hay, and found it
wanting? Cut early, and use the
1edder; rely upon this. If you are
provided with hay caps, these may
come into requistion. Each farmer
ought to have item. He is then pre-
pared for the wet.
Shall we begin our crop early, and
thus finish early, or shall we COM
mence late and finish with wood in
August or September, with perhaps
an underground the only thing to
save the crop? IF we begin just at
the time, the right time as we think,
when the bloom is passed or just
passing, and rain Of several days
or q week get in Gas Is so often tbs
ease } where are we? Our crop lie
ga aud, if the rains corN niue, dead
ii =" nj fl to be harvested. The ne
gees ity tIen Of beginning. shall we
SAY. lJo er.y? TITS will give US the
star, OF the rain. 1t will give us the
start d D." work. We shall have
our barns sled with precious stuff
which viii give us summer in winter
i1.t~ at}"ct, yellow, well favored but
ttr and an abundance of it; this in
The early wiu!er and at the calving.
Such butter v iii command the high
ct price stock will thrive; all kinds
oi stock. Particularly should clover
l.n cd and the med nm Kind - mi