Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1870-07-14
farmers Department.
Hav making.

the following extracts from the re.
port, in which the question is turned
over pretty thoroughly.
Mr.. Murtfeldt said some varieties
of grass mature earlier than others
1t Is unfortunate that timothy and
clover are grown together so fire..
quently as they are They mature
at different periods, and loss must
be sustained on one or the other BY
cutting at the most favorable pc
riod. Orchard grass is much more
suitable for growing with clover
He had seen more orchard grass
within a year or two than ever be-
fore, and thought highly Of it as 8
forage plant. Timothy should be
cut when just out of the first bios
som. When travelling east OF here,
last year, he had noticed large crops
of red-top. 1t makes excellent hay
for cattle, bnt does not make 50
much aftermath as timothy. The
large or grapevine clover, natures
its seed in the first crop. He was
doubtful about the propriety of cut
ting or pasturing the aftermath. The
members of the Meramec Horticul.
tursi Society, in a recent discussion,
objected to timothy hay for dairy
COWS, saying that it was little better
than hoop poles. He thought the
cause Of this dislike was that it had
been cut too ripe. If cut in bloom
cattle will thrive upon it.
IL we could cure our hay under
caps, as many do in the Eastern
States, he thought it would be a
great gain. A good mower will lay
the grass evenly, and it will cure in
afew hours so as to be fit to put in :
to windrows. He saw no objection
to its remaining in cocks two days.
Then it may be opened and aired be-
fore hauling in. The use of salt is
all a mistake; it increases the mois-
ture in the hay rather than helping
to cure it. Lime, one peck to ton
Of hay, is a good thing 1t may
nearly all be shaken out when fed,
or If it is not, it will do no harm.
Mr.. Peabody agree with Mr..
Murtfeldtin reference to the time of
cutting timothy. As soon as fairly
in blossom it is ready to cut. There
is vast amount of hay brought to
this city that is ruined in curing. It
is cut too ripe. There may be a
gain in weight, but there is a loss in
quality. Putting up hay in stacks
is sloyenly way. Curing hay un-
der caps have not seen in this coun-
try; but 1 believe it would pay, and
/ think ] will tryit. Eastern men
tell me that the caps will pay for
themselves in year. They may be
made of stout cotton cloth, four or
five feet square, and tied down to
pegs at the corners.
Mr.. Saunders-Why do people in
this country put up hay in small
stacks2 In England hay is put up
in large stacks, and they are then
thatched. They are not considered
slovenly farmers in that country.
Mr.. Peabody-Labor is more plen-
tiful and cheaper in that country.
Mr.. Kelley-We ought to lead
farmers along into the best ways
more pleasantly, and not denounce
them as slovenly because they stack
hay. have seen many large stacks
that thought would keep well.
DR.. Henderson, agree with Mr..
Kelley. Hay well stacked will keep
for years. 1 disagree with what has
been said in regard to hay caps
Eastern farms are small. On ten
acre lot it may be profitable to have
hay caps. There are farmers in this
country who cut 100 to 200 acres of
meadow. All we require is good
weather to cure hay well.
DR.. Morse--I am inclined to agree
with Mr.. Peabody, that, as a rule,
it is sloyenly practice to stack hay.
All of the outside of the stack, at
least, will be weather. beaten and
worthless. The loss by stacking in
8 few years will be enough to build
. barn, or at least cheap shed for
hay. I am not certain that il would
not pay to use hay caps. In some of
our precarious seasons they would
be very useful. Iwould at least like
TO see them tried.
Mr.. Murtfeldt-The value of the
hay crop exceeds that of any other
crop in the. United States. 1t does
pay to put hay in the barn. The
correct principle in building a stack
is to keep the middle all the time
full and well trodden down.
Mr.. Sigerson-When / first went
to New Orleans, some years ago,
there was little or no western hay in
that market. They had hay from
Maine, which was of mixed grasses.
After western hay became known
pure timothy-it brought the most
money; 81 ton more than northern
hay. Those who have looked into
the matter carefully have come to
the conclusion that the loss in stack
ing hay will soon pay for the barns.
There is, probably, enough hay lost
in this county every year to pay for
barns enough to cover it.
DR.. Henderson, in answer to a
question. SAID he preferred well
cured clover for any kind of stock, to
almost anything else.
MIR. Murtfeldt-The second bloom
OF white clover gives horses the
slobbers. Oats in the sheaf will cure
il. but the horses must be kept from
the clover.
~ Nut cake-Two pints of -four,
one pint of sugar, half pint of but,
far half r,iAf IF ,,o;IIz