Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-07-24
Making HaI.

uas OF halihs i OF moving py manu. CT /
ten with a crotched stick selected in the .
woods to hang the scythe on, though pa
tent snaths were then coming into use.
We boys followed with wooden forks. also
made from croiched sticks, and spread
the newly cut grass. 1t was turned over,
if heavy, by mandrake, and drawn in on
an ox-s!od. When alone, the writer, then
boz aud just learning to NOW, and his
father, would get tired when they secured
three sled-loads day. Now, with the
help of the mower, tedder, horse. rake aud
horse-fork, many times the same amount
of work eau he accomplished with the
same manual labor.
TIME To CUT GRASS.
The most natural food fer stock
horses, cattle and sheep-is grass, and
the best hay is that which comes the near
est to dried grass. In the pasture stock
like grass that is young, sweet and terdci,
as they show by leaving portions and
banches that get large and dry, and feed
ing on those places that are kept down
blose. But in getting hay, it's not prac-
ticable to secure this young growth hence
grass must be cut when there is growth
enough to furnish a fair yied-that is, it
should be cut when it will give the largest
yield of sweet, tender grasslike hay. All
this, it is thought, can be best secured
when the plant is coming into blossom. A
leading object in the growth Of plants is
to store up in the different parts of the
/ plant the nutrimcnt needed to perfect the
seed. Before blossoming this nuariment
is dtfused throughout the whole plant;
in developing the flower and the, this nu-
trimcnt is largely used aid concentrated
in these parts of the plant. This is 20
thoroughly the case, that the plant, which
before blossoming was rich and tender,
and full of nutritious juices, changes du.
ring the remainder Of its growth into
hard, woody substance, containing COM
paratively small amount Of available nu-
triment--Iu the first case it makes the
best Of hay; if the seed is allowed to RI
pen, we then have the straw Of the grass
or grasses grown. True this straw is bet,
ter fodder than that Of wheat or rye, but
still it is straw, in which large part Of
the nutrIment has been used in producing
the flower and seed, aud another consider
able portion, in the form of sugar, starch
and gum. has been changed to hard,
woody fibre. ....... ..-.-..
This substance is not easily or generally
digested by stock unless cooked or soft
ened in some other way Hence the best
hay is made from grass cut before these
changes take place which produce the
flower and the seed, and form woody
fibre.
CURING HAY.
Grass may be cut in the morning. as
soon as the dew is off, if heavy; if it is
rather light. moderate dew will not
make much difference. The tcdder can
be used according to circumstances. If
the yield is large and there is no clover
among the other grasses, the teddcr may
be kept going mos; of the time until the
hay is ready to cock. The te,' der may
be used in clover when it is first cut, but
should be stopped before the leaves begin
to crumble. The leaves and heads are
the best part of the clover, and it should
be so cured es TO save them all. This is
easily done when clover is mostly cured
in the cock, and it should be raked and
put up as soon as thorough wlted. 1t is
no benefit to any hay to lay still and burn
too long in the hot sun; hence clover
should be put up before the leaves crum-
BILE, and other hay be frequently stirred
until it is put up also All hay is better
for standing a day or two in the cock. II
: put up when about half or two.thirds
cured, it undergoes moderate sweating
that tends to develop the aroma and sot.
ten and ameliorate those coarse portions
that, if dried in the hot sun, might be
more harsh and uninvltipg Clover, il
put up at the right time, retains all the
leaves and heads in very nearly their nat
ural colors, and when cut early makes a
very valuable hay. In England, such
hay brings the highest price. The quota
tlons from the last Mark Lane Express
f June B, were for "prlme meadow hay,
IT'S. Cd. to S6s.; inferior do, 50s to 70s.
prime clover, ll0s. to l20s.; inferior do.
36s. to so, per ton . And yet it il
claimed that meadow hay in England il
much better than that made here The
S fact is, as believe, there is no good rea
son why we may not make as good clovel
hay as any other country All that i
needed is good, well prepared land ; pleu
ty of seed 50 the plants may grow thicl