The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-07-02
Cutting and Curinr Hay.


his ideas on this timely topic as follows:
1.-The natural food of the three princi
pal classes of domesticated animals
horses, cattle and sheep is grass. not hay
or grain. When, therefore, civilization
removes them from state of nature the
artificial life to which they are introduced
should be as near the natural one as posi-
Bile. Six months in the year our horses,
cattle and sheep in the country live on
their natural food. In providing for the
other six, we should prepare for them
something as nearly like their summer
diet as possible. 1t should not, therefore,
be maturcd stalks dried, but preserved
grass. All grasses reach their highest
point of excellence, considered as food
when they first come into blossom. The
vital elements are then scattered as through
out the entire plant, which in no part has
suffered the exhaustion and loss attending
the complete OF even partial development
of the seed Grass, then, should be 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 it reaches even that state of maturi-
ty, Timothy and red top head about the
same time. If we wait for the appearance
Of the blossoms before VIC begin. we shall
have the maturcd seed and the wccdy 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 tnrn, never later
The other half will be SO perfected i'll
growth that there will be no loss i'll guam
tity or quality. If lodged it should be cut
much earlier, as the decay at the root will
more than counterbalance any growth else
where. In regard to grasses not specified
the same general rule will apply, bearing
III mind that it is always better to cut con
Siderably before it reaches perfect maturity
rather than considerably afterward. Next
and most important, how shall this grass
be cured so that it can be packed in bulk
and be kept without injury until such time
as it is needed for food, and yet retain most
of its nutritive propcrtieS9 The best way.
as it seems to me. is this: Ir there is rea-
Sonable promise of fair day the moving
machine should be started at } o clock the
night before, and again as soon as the dew
is off i'll the morning. BY II, all the grass
that can he handled will he cut. Then.
transfer at once the horses from the machine
to the telder, and go over the field once
before dinner. At | O'Clock. start the ted
der a second time. At ,, attach one of the
span to the horse rake, and by four o clock
the hay cut in the morning should have
been pitched mot rolled into tall, well
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 it is evenly shaken out to
the time the transfer should be made to the
load and from thence to the NOW. 1t will
lS
nearly the same amount of sun. The
juices will not be baked out of it, and most
of the natural flavor, sweetness, instead of
being exhalcd, will remain to make the
mass paatable as well as nutritious.
Generally speaking, think that farmers
err Oh the side Of over rather than under
drying. Grass cut when perfectly free
from dew, and getting thorough and even
wilt the first day, and then cooking over
night, if the weather is all the time favor
able 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 regard to the mode
Of drying apply to these meadows when
theyield is a 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
rakcd earlier in the afternoon and put into
COCKS, 10 stand overnight, even the first
days sun might fit it for the NOW. Much
of the must i'll 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 nightfal' Cleaning
up, therefore; each day, has its unfavora-
bic as well as favorable side, and as it
seems to me, is not to be ordinarily COM
mended, especially when the farmer has
a supply of cloth hay-caps which are
emnently worthy place in every hay
field. In conclusion, | urge the observance
Of the following rules: First Cut the
grass as it lis coming into blossom, earlier
rather than later. Second. Cut it when
it is as free as may be from any mois-
turc except its own juices. Third. Have
special care not to over dry, and be partic-
ular to dry evenly. Fourth. Make the
transfer Of the hay from the field to the
barn at or near the middle of the day, and
when the air is dry and hot