The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-07-14
Tine for Cutting and Curing Grass.

grass that if improved in cutting, re-
suits in making better hay than by al.
lowing it to fully mature. In an article
on the Art of Haymaking, contributed
to the Practical Farmer by S. NJ. Wherry,
of Cumberland county, Penn, the
writer says the time of cutting grass for
hay presents a complicated question,
Scientists say when it is in full bloom,
Just before the formation of seed, for
than it contains the highest per cent of
elements. 1t may be answered that (l)
blooming is included in the function of
reproduction, and is certainly exhaust
i've. on We have no analysis to show
the relative food value of grass just be.
fore bloom, and at full bloom, making
due allowances for the diminished
power of inhibition in matured plant,
and the increased exhalations caused by
the process of Towering. (3) Admit
ting the chemical analysis to favor grass
in full bloom, ii remains to be proved
by actual experiment that the food ele-
ments are as assimilable in full bloom
hay as in that cut earlier.
y Leaving that to the philosophers, the
time of cutting depends in a measure
upon what use you want to make of the
hay If for milk, it cannot be cut too
soon after the plant has completed
its growth, and that is when the heads
first appear and before blooming. If
for horses and oxen, when tough fibre
and muscle are to be formed, little
later. not later however than full bloom.
l am now feeding four years old clover
that can to be twisted into rope strong
enough tie it into bundles, making it
the exclusive feed of fresh mich cows,
with profit in yield of milk and condi-
ton of COWS. 1t was cut before a bios
som appeared.
The cutting is done with two horse
mower, und when the growth is rank
light stubble is left. Those dirty,
mouldy, leahess stems that have lain a
month perhaps on the ground, are not
worth their room in the barn. If posi-
BILE. the cutting is done when the dew
is off, because ther the grass does not
settle so close to the ground and is less
easily bruised or broken. But when the
season is pressing, the mower runs from
daylight till the hay is ready to haul,
or starting at four p. m. runs till nine.
In both cases the tedder follows imme-
diattly, but in reverse direction.
There are two serious objections toall
moving machines. First, that they let
the glass fall with the heads and leaves
atop, the most tender and easily cured
parts most directly opposed to the sun
and air. Secondly, in the necessity OF
passing team and driving wheels over
the cut grass, pressing it close and bruis-
ing the stems. The coming mower will
discharge the grass upside-down at the
side of the machine leaving a clear
track for the team. Owing to these de-
fects the hay-tedder becomes a neces.
sary evil, to be dispensed with when we
have a perfect mower. Theoretically,
hay ought never to be tossed or touched
until taken to the barn. Tedders are
too violent. They switch off the leaves
and break and bruise the stems, thereby
rendering the process Of drying irregu-
lar. the bruised parts drying most rapid
ly and becoming brittle enough to
break before the other parts are cured.
These bruises allow of some evapo-
ration, perhaps, of valuable juices, GER
tainly of their fermentation and con-
version.
When the grass Is merely wilted, and
before the first shade Of brown appears,
it is raked into small winrows with a
self.discharging wire rake. There the
process of curing goes on. The hay Is
never touched until piled and hauled,
except in cases of rain then, when the
moisture is dried off the top, the win
row is gently turned over on the one
side with wooden forks, but not tossed
The hay is loaded by hand and unload
ed by horse power. The average crol
is about eighty acres, and is all stored
in close barns. 1t comes out in thu
spring with an aroma that would as
tonish a modern tea-drinker. 1t wa
the entirety that much surprised
friend Harvey; not a leaf or head wa
wanting.
In conclusion, this is the theory
Every grass plant is considered dell
cate tube or elongated pitcher, filled b,
mysterious power Of nature with juice
adapted to the wants of our stock. Th
very moment this slender vessel is tille'
full. or the sample has become exhaust
ed. then are these juices in the bes
condition and ought so to be preserved
Sever the tiny bottle where the critic
will be the smallest, turn the mouth VI
TO the sun, taking care not to breal
the bottle, and let it be hermeticall
sealed. Store away from light and al
for future use.
CrT WoRMs.-It is very annoying, a
ter having set out a nice lot OF swee
notato or cabbage plants, to see then
cut down, one by one, by these worms