The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-07-15
Cutting Hay Early.

1t is getting to be admitted by our best
farmers that hay is best if cut green and
we'll cured. Yet most Of our hay is cut
when matured or nearly ripened ; this
mostly because it is thought difficult to
cure. 1t is great error. This is clear
from the fact that those who have prac.
ticed early cutting fairly, continue the
practice. And it is extending. This
does not look as though early cutting and
curing we're a very serious or prohibitory
affair. In wet season, ripe hay will
suffer as well as green and what is ripe
hay worth if it gets rain or two? What
little available strength it had is nearly
all washed out. Though green hay suf.
fers under the same circumstances, yet
our experience is that it retains more of
its properties than the ripe, woody make.
Even when darkened and mculdy to
considerable extent, it will yet feed out
well-remarkabl7 50 considering its ap-
pearance. Cattle will eat it with consid.
cradle relish. But unless the season is
unusually unfavorable-in which ripe hay
would become worthless-with the aid Of
the hay cap it can be saved, and fair
feed can be made oft for mich cows and
young stock, preferable to ripe hay cured
without rain. We have had clover 10
our NOV, cut before it was in blossom,r re.
ceiving drenching rain (ere it was dried,
which hurt it but little), and taken 10 be.
fore it was well cured, SO that it sweated,
turned dark and mouldy, much of it stick.
ing together, and yet it was sought by the
stock and eaten in preference to bright
ripe hay 1t proved also to have the
substance. II our early cut hay gets col,
ored, we are frightened. Feed it; give
it fair test test it with other hay.
Hay (clover included) cut green, wilted
or partially dried, and put 10 cock, not
TOO large, keeping it there couple Of
d,ys, covered with the hay cap if rainy,
and then exposed to the dry air little,
will retain all its substance, and will not
be materially injured, but keep well, stor.
ed away. if not put in too large and solid
bulk. 1t is worth much more than the
same hay cured when ripe. And who
cannot cure in this way? 1t is done by
tens of thousands of farmers yearly, and
with success.
The better way however, is (the wealth.
er favoring) 10 cut as soon as the dew il
off, or better the evening before, and use
the tedder upon II. 1t cannot be toe
much stirred and shifted in the air. Thi,
prevents the sun from drying it too sharp
ly, and will be to a great extent drying
it in the shade, the hay shading itsel
and lying loose so that the hot air passel
through it. In this way it may be cured
on the spread without the labor Of put
ting it in cock, The little sweating il
the NOW will not hurt it; and being il
bulk its fragrance will be retained, which
it is found is Of some consequence. Th,
difficulty of drying green hay is simply |
bugbear. Remember that the same rail-
that hurts green hay would all but ruiz
ripe. ,,
Enough has been written on the ha,
cap; it has been in use long enough t
show its Importance. Each tarme
should provide himself with suficien
number as a shield against the wet. i
almost every season there will be fouu'
use for it, Country Gent. s.fa1