The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-05-25
THE ENTERPRISE.
SWeetWater. Thursday, May 25, 1871.
Cutting and turing Clover.

Fur the teneG. Of our garHSer fFionds,
We mrka the following extracts on the
subjsot Of cutting and euriug clover, from
an artieiS N the Uh.On and American:
A. The ,iwe approaches for cutting clio.
rcr, an interest 10 felt by many persons
who are lae Penenced 10 the ssvi.g Of
hay as to the proper time for cutting and
the best method Of curing the clover.
The proper period for moving clover so
as to secure Lhe largest yield aud the
greatest amount Of nutrieht properties il
question ABOUT which there has been
much discussion. Without stopping to
present the various arguments tor early
or late cutting, we think that all will
agree that it should be moved at a time
when the nutritive elcments-thOse ele-
mepts that go to produce aeSh aud are re-
qulred by tie animal eOonOmy-ars at
their maximum. Now thOse persons who
are in the habit of soiliDg their stock 6nd
that clover cut a little after the time Of
u,i bloom, vixen few Of the buds begin
% dry up, aud just as the reproductive
,pcouaus are balu1 brought into play for
the ma,gr.y et the seed, will, pound for
pouad, prJiuce more fat and muscle than
that Gus at any other time Now, the
{ eat art OF caring all hay is so TO dry or
cure it us to retain as many Of the life
sustaining constituents in il as possible, or
to preserve it as nearly as possible in the
same condition in which it is cut, with the
water only abstracted. If this be the cor
rect principle, it is easy for any one BY
mere inspection to tell when to put his
mower to work.
As to curing the crop, there are many
ways, each of which has its advocates,
We shall give synopsis Of each.
The plan pursued by majority Of far
mers is to let it lie in the sun several
hours, until wisp of it taken and twisted
will show no exudation Of moisture. 1t
is then thrown up into stacks where it re-
mains for day or two when it may be
stacked or put up in the hay loft. Care
should Oe taken never to let it be subject
ed to the action of the dew or rain. 1t is
the easiest of all the varieties Of hay TO
spoil. The action of the dew for a single
night will damage it marerially, causing
it to blacken and the leaves to drop of
from the stem.
The next plan is to cut and lot it lie in
the sun just long enough to wilt, and then
wagon it in an open house and throw it
upon beams or tier pOlos, where it can re-
.a;,o kl,n c-oo oo.;nn of tho ,,r flar a
few days it may be packed away without
any danger of fermenting Cured in this
way it retains its green color, is fragrant
and makes o most excellent hay. The
only objection to It is the great amount of
room required in curing and the addition
al burthen of hauling while green.
Another method is tho one practiced
in Ireland and one which the hay is also
prepared by self.fermeutatim. In this
way it retains its nutritive juices and only
parts with its water. The sap vessels are
by this process supposed to be expanded
by the circulation OF the liquid juices bv
heat and the superAuous humidity ex-
haled. On cooling, the sap vessels con-
tract, and thus future inner fermentation
is prevented and the valuable properties
preserved. Acting on this principle, ac.
cogding to tho Irish Farmers Journal, the
clover attended for hay is lrnwn and left
to ijo IN the swath uutiih O'Clock in she
afternoon of the ryIg&pg day to dry. Of
course, these swaths axe some twelve or
eighteen inches thick. They are then
ra&ed tog-,ncr in small shocks, which are
alter~ards made iuto large ones, such as
w,ud require six or eight horses to draw.
Two or more men are kept upon the large
ones, tramping them down, so as to make
them more compact, and induce more
speedy Concentration. If the weather is
warnl, fermcutation witt bcgn il IL few
hours, as will be known by the honey-like
smell. When a proper fermentation is
begun, the cocks on being opened will ap-
pear browuish aud may be spread. After
it has been dried after fermentation, it
may he carried to the hny-lOft aud stored
away without any danger Of u second f.r-
mrutat;0r.