The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-06-02
FARMERS CLUB.
Proceedings OF the Regular Meeting.
Muy. ~. 1871,

FARMERS CLUB.
Proceedings Of the Regular Meeting
May, "a, 1871.
The Maury County Farmers Clul
held its regular meeting last Saturday
morning, Gen. l.. L. Polk in the Chair
Minutes of last meeting were read anC
approved.
The committee appointed to select I
| room for the Club was allowed further
time to report.
SAVING HAY.
GAIT. j. B. HAMILToN-I have some
experience in saving Clover Hay.
think the less sun you have on it after
| cutting, is best.
GEN. PoLK-1 am opposed to putting
salt on hay. 1t produces dampness
which causes the hay to mould.
J. III. DEw-Last year / put 30 lbs
of land plaster per acre on my clover,
except two acres, upon which L put lOt
lbs. per acre. saw no difference i'll the
result.
CAPTAIN HAMILToN-M My experience
agrees with Mr.. Dew's. On some fields
put 50 lbs. of plaster per acre, and l0t
lbs. per acre on other fields and discov-
cred no difference in the clover.
GEN. PoLK-The time required for hay
to cure depends mainly upon the condi-
ton of the atmosphere.
J. II. DEw-Mr. j. l.. Williams has
experience in saving hay, and L would
like to hear him.
J.L. WILLIAMS have some expert
ence in saving clover hay, last year.
cut part in the morning, and put it up
in the evening of the same day, with a
light sprinkling of salt. This was rs
good as any hay l ever saved. 4 small
amount of salt improves the hay. Too
much salt, however, L think, produces
dampness, which causes the hay to
mould. / am decidedly in favor of cut
ting hay early-from the LIST to the 10th
of June this year, is a very good time.
II makes no difference whether or not
the heads are brown.
CAPT, HAMILToN-It think it exceed
ingly deleterious to allow the heads all
to get perfectly ripe before the clover is
cut.
T. III. WILLIAMs-Last year l waited
until the clover heads commenced get
ting ripe. After cutting let it lay until
the next day, and put away. / applied
about one peck of salt per ton.
GEN. EwELL-I do not put salt on my
hay.
T. ii. WILLIAMs-The reason why
put my hay in cocks is that it then is
more convenient to load the hay.
GEN. EwELL-I think hay should re-
main longer than one night in the cock
before putting up. have large amount
to put up and have not time to put i'll
cocks. j put my hay under shelters in
stead of in barns. The weather does not
injure the hay under shelters. 1 think
it paws to build shelters, and if mine
were destroyed now, l consider l am
well paid for building them last year
Ny shelters are 20 feet high, 20 feet wide,
fifty feet long, and hold 90 tons of hay
Under the old rick system L lost much
hay, although the ricks were put up by
an experienced hand.
GEN. PoLK-I have, also, lost much
hay by putting it in ricks, but supposed
at the time it was caused by putting
salt on it.
TIL. WILLlAMs-I would like to know
If the Hay Fork is useful.
GEN. EwELT-I think il is. One Of
my men stated last year, that, if it had
not been for the fork he could not have
saved all the hay.
RUST.
Question: Does rust upon the straw o.
wheat or oats render it unfit to feed &c
cattle?
Answer, by sevcral-It would not be
safe to feed it.
J.H. dew sent North and bought
some Black oats this spring, and there
is some appearance of rust on them.
WALTER AKIN-My father bought oat
seed from the North every year, and they
were never injured by rust. Imported
oat seed will not have the rust.
j. l.. WILLIAMs-I am convinced that
rust can be avoided by importing ON
oat seed. For several years prior tC
1850. the oat crop here was materially
injured by rust. The farmers then be.
gan to import their seed, and since that
time very little rust has appeared.
think oat seed should be imported al
least every two or three years.
OATS.
Gen. EwELL-What is the average
number of bushels of oats per acre?
j. l.. WILLIAMS think 80 bushels
per acne is a low average, and | consider
it as profitable as any other small grain
crop, and no other small grain is so good
to sow with grasses. All grasses, how
ever, do better to be sown without any
| small grain.
ID. j. EsrEs-I get the best stand OF
clover when sowed with oats.
CAPT. HAMILToN-Are oats more OK
haustinG to land than other small grain
crops?
j. l.. WnLIAMS-I think they are.
JESSE $. HARRIs-OatS are considered
more cxhausting than other small grain
and think this is because they are sown
at season Ct the year when the ground
is usually wet, and the land is damaged
by blowing when too wet; consequently
is not improved by the oat crop.
GEN. EwELL-I think it misapplica-
ton of terms to say that land is Elm
proved" 10y grain crop.
RYE.
GAIT. HAMu.ToN-I think Rive is tho
best small grain crop to rest land; il
also producesmore grain.
J. l.. WILLI>Ms-Rye is decidedly tn,
best small grain crop to improve land
but yields less than other grains. Whef
| fed down i'll tie field TO hogs, it is euua
to crop of red clover. as a fertilizer.
/ GEN. EwELL-I Sowed timothy Will
oats last wear. Both grew well for
while, but in short time the oats 90
the ascendancy, and the timothy did no
do well.
CLOVER.
Question: What is the conclusion O
the Club in regard to saving clover hay
GEN. EwELL-It is a subject upo-
which no positive conclusion can b
reached, as the experience of nearly al
differs.
GEN. PoLE-The conclusion of a ma
jority of the Club is that early cut hay
early put away, and moderately sailed
is the best.
GAIT. BLACK have but little expo
rience i'll saving hay. The people North
usually cut their hay, and put in cocks
where il remains for several DAYS, an
goes through sweat. Then, in hand
ling to load and unload, it dries out
and there is no danger OF its moulding
believe hay should be sailed, Sal