Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-17
Making Hay.

Making Hay.
The time to harvest this important crop
has again come round, and some remarks on
making hay may not be out Of place The
first recollection the writer has Of haying l.
Of moving by hand, often with a crotched
stick selected in the woods to hang the scythe
on, though patent snaths were then coming
into use We boys followed with wooden
forks, also made from crotched sticks. and
spread the newly cut grass 1t was turned
over, if heavy, also by mandrake, aud drawn
in on an ox-sled. When alone, the writer,
then boy and just learning to NOV, and his
father, would get tired when they secured
three sled.louds day. Now. with the help
of the mower, tedder, horse-rake and horse.
fork, many times the same amount of work
can be accomplished with the same manual
labor.
TIME 70 CUT GRASS.
The most natural food for stock-horses
cattle and sheep-is grass, and the best hay
is that which comes the nearest to dried grass
In the pasture stock like grass that is young
sweet and tender, as they show by leaving por-
tons and punches that get large aud dry
and feeding on those places that are KEPT
down close. But 10 getting hay, it is no
practicable to secure this young growth /;
hence grass must be cut when there is growtl
enough to furnish fair yield-that is, il
should be cut when it will give the largest
yield Of good, sweet, tender, grass-like 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 t.
store up 10 the different parts Of the plant tn,
nutriment needed to produce the flower and
perfect the seed Before bossoming this uu.
triment is diifused throughout the Who'll,
plant in developing the flower and seed,
this nutriment is largely used and coucentrat-
ed in these parts Of the plant. This is s.
thoroughly the case, that the plant, whict
before bossoming was rich and tender, and
full Of nutritious juices, changes during til,
remainder Of its growth into hard, woody
substance, containing comparatively SINAI,
amount Of available nutriment in the hrsl
case it makes the best Of the hay, if the seed
is allowed to ripen we then have the straw
Of the grass or grasses grown. True thh
straw is better fodder than that Of wheat OF
part Of the nutriment has been used in pro
ducing the flower and seed, and another con
siderable portion, in the form of sugar, starcl
and gum, has been changed to hard, woody
fibre. This substance is not easily nor gene
rally diges,ed by stock unless cooked or soft
ened in some other way. Hence the best hay
is made from grass cut before these change
take place which produce the flower and seed
and form woody fibre.
CURING HAY.
Grass may be cut in the morning as soor
as the dew is off, If heavy if it is rather
light, moderate dew will not make much
difference. The tedder can be used accord
ing to circumstances. If the yield is large
aud there is no clover among the o,he
grasses, the tedder may be kept going mos
of the time until the hay is ready TO rak
and cock. The tedder may be used in clio
yer when 1t is FIRST cut but should b
stopped before the leaves begin to crumblt
The leaves and heads are the best part o
clover, aud it should be cured so as to saw
them all. This is easily done when clover j
mostly cured in the cock and it should b.
raked and put up as soon as thoroughly wilt
ed. 1t is no benefit to any hay TO lay still
and burn too long in hot sun hence Glove
should be put up before the leaves crumble
and other hay be frequently stirred until it i
put up also. All hay is better for siaudinI
day or two in the cock. Ii put up whel
half to two-thirds cured, it undergoes mod
crate sweating that tends to develop tn
aroma and soften and ameliorate those coarse
portions that, if dried in hot sun, might BE-
more harsh and uuinvitipg Clover, If pui
up at the right time, r, iains all the leave
and heads in very nearly their natural coorS
and when cut early makes a very valuabl,
hay. In England, such hay brings the high.
est price. The quotations in the last Marx
Lane Express June 3, were for "prime meu
dow hay, lis. Co. to Sos. inferior ditto, Sos
to los. prime clover, HOS. to l2Os. iuie
rior ditto, 36s to sos. per ton" Aud yet 1
is claimed that meadow hay in England il
much better than that made here. The fac
is, as | believe, there is no god reason WHY
we may not make as good clover hay as anl
other country. All that is needed is good
well prepared land plenty of seed SO tn
plants may grow thick aud fine; cut earl!
and cure as above directed, and can see n
reason why the hay may not be Of the yer
best quality.
ADDITIONAL REMARKS.
1 should have stated, in the proper pac,
that hay should not get too dry before it
taken to the barn. Clover should be take
in before it will crumble much in handlin
aud the other grasses as soon as they are dr
enough. 10 dry, hot weather hay may
loaded from the cock if it will not do,
little airing to dry off the sweat will prob
bly, be all that is needed. If opened L
much or loo long, it will be better to put
together again than to allow it to get too dr.
Clover is often cut too late to make 90,
hay. There are good many dry stems al
leaves the latter crumbe and the fuzz ru
off the former, and both together make Il
hay very dusty This is also very likely
be the care with the second cutting Of Il
same year, as it grows and ripens more u
even and will contain more or less of SUI
dead clover. 1t is nearly always more pro-
table to cut for seed or to pasture this secol
growth. Cut the FIRST crop early. when
will make the best hay, aud second grow
for seed may be obtained that will bril-
more money for the seed than the FIRST Gu
ting will for hay.--Country Gentleman.