Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-06-25
atliseellanu.
THE TIME TO CUT GRASS FOR HAY.

This IS question abont which good
practical farmers differ widely in their
views. Some practice moving their grass
as soon as it is headed out, or before
Others practice cutting their clover when
half Of the blossoms have turned brown,
and the herds-grass is in bloom, while
some few believe it more profitable to let
the grass stand until the seed is about
ripe. Such late-cut grass, they say,
makes hay that has more heart in it, and
spends better, when fed to cattle, than
early-cut hay. Without here attempting
to decide the question directly, | will
give few facts, connected with vegetable
physiology that may be useful to farmers.
The seed-bearing plants grown by the
farmer. in common with all other yegeta-
BILE productions, are, from the first move
ments of the germ in the seed up to the
full maturity of the plant, subject to and
regulated in all their growth by fixed
laws-laws, too, more immutable than
any ever enacted by the Medes and Per-
slams. Under ordinary circumstances,
the results and operations of these laws
are the same. Nature, in TIE production
of the cereals-corn, wheat, rye, oats, &c.
has two objects in view; the perfection
of the seed for the reproduction and per-
petuity of its species, and the providing
of food for man and animals.
From the early growth of the plant up
to the first formation or formulation Of the
| seed, the plant is busily employed in draw
inc from the soil and water and atmos-
phere the necessary materials required in
the mature and perfect seed. But rs the
seed progresses toward maturity, the
phosphates, salts, nitorgen. &c., that
were disseminated through the entire plant
are mostly withdrawn from it, and con-
centrated in the seeds; and when they
are fully ripened the stems, stalks, leaves,
straw, &c, are much more deficient in
nutritiye matters than at the time of the
Towering of the plant But as the seed
OF the corn, wheat, oats. &c. is the first
object of the farmer, and the straw and
forage of secondary consequence, the
seed is suffered to ripen before harvesting.
The same or very similar results occur
iE the ripening of the seeds of the various
grasses cultivated for hay. But as it is
the stems, leaves and heads Of the grasses
that are valuable rather than the seeds, it
is for the interest OF the farmer, and for
health and thrift of his farm stock, to cut
his grass for hay, at the time it viii yield
the greatest amount of available nutri-
Iuti L. AZ what pstIttt ulll ItgC VI SloN tii
this precise time is, is point upon which
farmers differ.
Plants, at the time of towering, contain
starch, gum, sugar and muclage, all of
which are readily digcsted in the stomach
of cattle, sheep, horses, &c and these are
all known to nourish them. In the promo
ton of the seed, the stemand leaves of our
forage plants are greatly exhausted of these
essential food products, and the great bulk
which remains and is saved for fodder is
chiefly woody fiber, a. less nutritive and a
less easily digested substance.
| As far as my observation extends, the
advocates OF cutting grass earlier than was
the general practice years ago, are largely
on the increase. The. introduction of
mowing-machines, hay tedders, horse
rakes and forks, and hay-caps, has very
much expedited the ingathering of the hay
crops. With the present scarcity of help
and the high price of labor, it becomes
farmers to make use of all labor-saving
implements that will cheaper and hasten
the securing in season of this important
crop-NeO Hampshire Statesman.