Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-11
eating and Curing Grass.

The subject of the best time TO cut and
the best mode of curing grass, was dis
cussed at the last meeting of the ST.
Louis Farmers Club, and from the st.
Louis Republicans report of the discus
sion we extract as follows:
Mr.. Murtfeldt said it was well known
we have great varieties of grasses, and
in order to be made into hay il required
different mode of treatment. Some vari-
city matured earlier than others and as
the grass and grain mixed very frequently
in the meadow we want to cut the grass
at the time it contains the most nutri-
ment. 1t was misfortune that the
timothy and clover were grown at the
same time; as the ordinary sized clover
matured before the timothy is ripe. If
we could grow the orchard grass with
the medium sized red clover they would
be ripe for the sickle at the same time.
In the speakers opinion timothy grass
should be cut after the first bloom, at the
stage before the seed begins TO form. 1t
had been tried on farms in this State with
the best results. Timothy is the princi-
pal EldSe llOll " it'll Alel 10 AlAesAN3 aLNA AAC
had been astonished to see in what low
esteem it was held; it was said to be the
poorest hay, producingthe poorest milk
in the COWS that fed on it. He believed
that il arose from cutting the meadow at
wrong time. He then alluded in favO-
rable terms to custom that prevailed in
the Eastern States where muslin caps were
used to cover the heaps of hay as it lay
in the field. The ordinary method of
sailing hay was mistake, as it increased
instead of absorbing the moisture.
Mr.. Peabody agreed with the gentlemen
IS to the time for cutting clover. Farmers
generally let it stand too long, so that it
became too ripe. He thought il should
be cut when the blossoms were fairly out.
lie had heard of several experiments, and
a medium time was found to be the best.
He stated that a large amount of hay
brought to this market was spoiled through
want of proper curing. The hay was not
so good, the cattle would not eat it so
readily, when it had too long to dry, as
when il was tender. What was lost in
the weight of young hay would be made
an in quality. In reference to curing hay
he said that in the country where he was
raised they never thought of putting hay
in any place except the barn-the hay
stack was always an evidence of slOyenli-
hess. Hay could not be stacked, even if
it is cured well, so that a large proportion
Of it would not be injured. If he could
not have barns 70 put his hay in he would
at least have a wood wall with roof
over it, so that the side would not receive
the drifting showers. He described the
s!nG Of can that would allow a circulation
of the air and also shea the rain. 1t was
usually about three feet in diameter, the
same height, and shaped like a gentle
mans night cap. He said that perfectly
cured hay would bring $50 q ton, and
badly cured hay would only bring SIS, 50
that the difference would pay for the cost
in one season.
r Mr.. Sanders said in his country they
ssSGked sixty tons at time, and put the
whole crop in. They were not usually
considered slovenly farmers.
DR.. Henderson said that. most Of the
hay was injured when the stack was
brDken open and the hay removed with
out having tarpauiiH thrown over it,
As to tie use of muslin caps he could not
approve of ii. There were negroes, and
even white men, who would enter the
field, take the caps and have shirts made
of them before morning The hay was
damaged most by the rain that fell on the
ground. In that case the cap was of no
use. lie was In favor of putting the hay
into sheds in small quantities of twenty
five or thirty tons, for the sake Ct COZ
Venience in hauling.
DR.. Morse thought it did not pay 10
stack hay, as the outside would be ruined
for food. 1t might pay to thatch it in
England where labor was cheap, but con-
sidcring the abundance of lumber in this
country he thought it would be easy to
make small barns.