Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-07-16

OF the animal structure before mere fat
Is superadded. That grass contains veg
etaDle alDumen and its near relatives Or
cognates, which are transformed into
muscle ana flesh by the process of nutri-
ton, 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
nay approximates fresh grass the more
milk, fat, flesh and bones given quantity
will make.
Taking 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 a
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,
Tor the reason that the animals fed would
consume several pounds; whereas if the
racks were supplied with inferior hay
they would pick out only 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 toddering 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 a 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
water, such as sugar, gluten and other
| compounds. Now if this is so it is evil
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 saccharine
matter constantly diminishes and the
woody fiber, perfectly insoluble in
water and nutritious, increases
till after the seeds have matured,
when the plant begins to decay. Of
course, if the plant is not cut in the
flower, a great part of the nutriment of
its stems and leaves is wasted. That grass
! is sometimes mown too early there is no
doubt; but as a general rule the farmer
had better err on the safe side and com
mence haying early, if he has large
amount to harvest, even if he suffers
some loss by shrinkage of the first mown
J t gives him a better chance to make
hay while the sun shines" for he has Il
longer period to secure his crop before it
is dead ripe" and sometimes saves
hiring help when labor is at its highest
price and scarce at that.
AS soon as the moisture in the leaves
and stems is dried out, so that there is
not sufficient dampness to cause the hay
to heat in the NOW or stack, the crop
should be secured, 1t Injuries grain to be
allowed to heat while it is lying in a
mass. When hay is stored before it is
properly cured the nourishment con
tanned in the leaves and stems viii be
damaged by being heated in the NOW or
stack.-Neao York Herald.