Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-07-03
Making Good Hay and Poor Hay.

Hay IL uTleu grass, nay Oh prime qudl-
ity is made of grass cut and properly
cured at that stage of growth when the
leaves and stems contain the largest
amount of available nourishment Both
theory and the opinions derived from the
experience of the great majority of intel
ligent and observing farmers concur in
fixing the true period to cut grass, "when
in full blossom, or while the bloom is
falling" At this period most grasses have,
so far as can be judged, obtained from
the soil and from the atmosphere the
greatest amount which they will have at
any stage of growth which is of value as
food for animals. These elements exist
at this period in the most valuable form.
The changes which take place subse-
quently are chiefly within the plant. A
part of the starch, sugar, gum, albumen
soon goes to assist in the formation of
seed, and part to constitute woody
fiber, which is indigestible and of lit
tie value as fodder. OF hay cut at
later stage cattle will doubtless
eat less Some infer from this that
it will "spend better;" but the true rea-
son why they eat less is, because the sys-
TEN can digest and assimilate less. The
actual benefit derived from hay is in pro
portion to the available nutriment con-
tanned in it, All domestic animals that
subsist on fresh grass will make more
growth, muscle and flesh when fed with
grass than with any other food, which
shows conclusively that it abounds in
fibrin and other albuminous compounds
which are of far more importance than
starch, gum, etc, because flesh must be
formed as the framework or substratum
of the animal structure before mere fat
&c nro1 lnA l.nt N.,s.
.etable albumen and its near relatives or
cognates, which are transformed into
muscle and flesh by the process of nutri
tion, there can be no doubt. 1t thus be-
comes of much importance how to retain
the most of the flesh elements of the
grass in the dried hay. The nearer prime
hay approXimates fresh grass the more
milk, fat, flesh and bones given quantity
will make.
Taking a different view of this subject,
grass should be allowed to become fully
ripe before it is cut. The great desidera-
tum with many who buy and sell hay
and who feed hay is to have it in such II
condition that COW, OK or horse will not
consume one pound of it until impelled
by the cravings of hunger to eat or
starve Many proprietors of hotels and
those who keep stables where horses are
boarded do not want hay of prime quality,
for the reason that the animals fed would
consume several pounds; whereas if the
racks were supplied with inferior hay
they would pick out only a few spears
and go hungry until they could reach
some other stable where they would be
supplied with respectable feed. A great
many farmers aim to keep their live stock
on the smallest possible allowance of hay.
They do not want prime hay, as their
stock would consume the entire supply
for the winter before the foddering season
was half passed. For such feeders of live
stock the true time to cut grass is not
until it is dead ripe.
But the man who desires to keep his
live stock growing during the foddering
season should have his grass cut before
the blossom has fallen. This practice of
cutting grass at the period designated is
unquestionably founded on correct
principle, the object of the farmer being
to secure his hay so as to make it most
like grass in its perfect condition, The
nutritive substances of grass are those
which are, for the most part, soluble in
4 water, such as sugar, gluten and other
compounds. Now if this is so it is evi
dent that the grass should be cut at the
time when it contains the largest amount
of these principles. From its earliest
growth the sugar and other soluble sub
stances gradually increase till they reach
their maximum percentage in the bios
som, or when the seed is fully formed In
the cell From this period the saccharinC
matter constantly diminishes and the
woody fiber, perfectly insoluble ii
water and innutritious, increases
till after the seeds have matured
when the plant begins to decay. Oh
course, if the plant is not cut in the
flower, great part of the nutriment o.
its stems and leaves is wasted, That grass
is sometimes mown too early there is NJ
doubt but as a general rule the farmer
had better err on the safe side and com
mence haying early, if he has a large
amount 30 harvest, even If he suffers
some loss by shrinkage of the first mown
IL gives him better chance to "makC
hay while the sun Shines" for he has {
longer period to secure his crop before i
is Hdead ripe" and sometimes save
hiring help when labor Is at its highes
price and scarce at that,
As soon as the moisture in the leave