Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-07-13
FARM AND HOME.
Cutting and Curing Hay.

tutllng anu Turing nay.
III. l.. Read, of Hearth and Home, gave
his ideas on this timely topic as follows:
The natural food Of the three principal
classes of domesticated animals-horses,
cattle, and sheep-is grass, not hay or
grain. When, therefore, civilization re-
moves them from Il state of nature, the
artificial life to which they are introduced
should be as near the natural one as
possible. Six months in the year our
horses, cattle, and sheep lin the country
live on their natural food. In providing
for the other six, we should prepare for
them something rs nearly like their sum
mer diet as possible. IL should not, there
fore, be matured stalks dried but preserv-
ed grass. All grasses reach their highest
point of excellence, considered as food,
when they first come into blossom. The
vital elements are then scattered through
out the entire plant, which in no part has
suffered the exhaustion and loss attending
the complete or even partial development
of the seed. Grass, then, should he cut
when the blossoms first open. Practically,
if the grass on any given farm is mainly
of one variety, it is better TO begin cutting
before il reaches even this state OF maturi-
ty. Timothy and red-tOp head about the
same time. If we wait for the appearance
of the blossoms before we begin, we shall
have the matured seed and the weedy and
almost worthless stalk before the end is
reached. In the matter of clover, if it
stands erect, it is safe to wait till one half
the blossoms begin to turn, never later.
The other half will be so perfected i'm
growth that there will be noloss i'm quantity
or quality. Iflodged it should he cut much
earlier, as the decay at the root will more
than counterbalance my growth elsewhere.
In regard to grasses not specified, the same
general rule will apply, bearing in mind
that it is always better to cut considerable
before it reaches perfect maturity rather
than considerable afterward. Next and
most important, how shall this grass he
cured so that it can be packed in bulk and
be kept without injury until such time as
1t Is needed for food, and yet retain most of
Its nutritive properties? The best way, us
it-seems to me, is this: If there is reasona-
BILE promise of a fair day, the mowing-ma-
chine should be started at 3 o'clock the
night before, and again, as soon Us the dew
is off in the morning. BY II, all the grass
that can be handled will be cut Then,
transfer at once the horses from the ma
chine to the tedder, and 90 over the field
once before dinner At ! O'clock, start the
tedder a second time. At >, attach one of
the span to the horse-rake, and by o. clock
the hay cut i'll the morning should have
been pitched mot rolled into tall, we'll
trimmed cocks, containing from eighty to
one hundred pounds each. Let these stand
until the first fair day following, and then
open and turn as Is needed, until ready for
the barn, which, under ordinary circum-
stances, will not require more than an
hour from the moment ii is evenly shaken |
out TO the time that the transfer should he |
made to the load and from thence to the |
NOW. 1t will thus be cured evenly, every |
portion getting nearly the same amount of |
sun. The juices will not be baked out OF |
II, but dried in it and most of the natural |
flavor, sweetness, instead of being eXhaled, |
will remain to make the mass palatable as |
well as nutritious. Generally speaking, / |
think that farmers err on the side of over |
rather than under drying. Grass cut when |
perfectly free from dew, and getting IA |
thorough and even wilt the first day, and |
then cooking overnight, if the weather is |
all the time favorable, does not need much |
sun the second time it is exposed in fact, |
if the air is hot and dry, the less usually |
the better. The suggestions made with re-
gard TO the mode of drying apply to these |
meadows when the yield is Il ton and "A |
half or more to the acre. Where the grass |
is thin and the tedder not needed, | would |
advise that the hay be raked earlier in the |
afternoon and put into cocks, to stand |
overnight, even though the first day sun |
might fit it for the NOW. Much of the !
must in hay comes of making the transfer |
from the field to the barn, when the air is |
charged with moisture as in cloudy days |
and near nightfall. Cleaning up there |
fore, each day, has it, uniavorable as well |
as favorable side, and, "a it seems to me, is |
not to bc ordinarily commended, especial |
ly when the farmer has Il supply OF cloth |
hay-caps, which are eminentlV worthy a |
place in every bayfield,. In conclusion, |
urge the observance of the following rules : !
First Cut the grass as it is coming into |
blossom, earlier rather than later. Second. |
Cut it when it is as free a. may be from |
any moisture except it, own juices. Third. |
Have special care not TO over-dry, and be |
particular to dry evenly. Fourth. Make |
the transfer of the hay from the field to the |
when the air is dry and hot
THE american Bee Journal allows cor |