Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-08-21
EAr1y-Made Hay

w ME Il nliJoflty vi our DeSt IifIIl-
ers know by experience that carly-cut
grass or clover makes better hay than
when allowed to stand until ripe or
approaching ripeness, still there are
comparatively few who begin suttic-
iently early to secure their crop Of
hay i'll best possible condition.
The scarcity Of good hay in our
markets shows palmer than words to
what fearful extent procrastination in
hay-making is practiced throughout
the entire country. Blcached, over
ripe, straw-likc stuff is the rule, while
a green, juicy and fragrant article is
the exception, and all this comes
from delay Of haying. 1t is true
that we have a few men left among
us who rs an excuse for their almost
worthless hay will assert that they
''don't believe in cutting grass early"
but this same class Of men would de-
clare that they did not believe the
world revolved if by it they could es-
cape some duty. 1t is too late in the
day to consider any of the arguments
that were formerly brought forward
in discussing the subject of cutting
grass early or late, for science i'll ag-
riculture has long ago settled the
question in favor of early cutting.
rhe woody fiber developed in the
stems of our cultivated grasses dur
ing the ripening of the seed is of
very little more value as food for cat
tie than the woody fiber Of bass
wood tree; consequently they should
be gathered, if designed as food for
stock, before this ligneous change
took place.
The low, marsh grasses are usually
somewhat later in coming to maturi-
ty than those upon upland; but as a
rule the cutting is deferred far to
long, as their rich, deep green colors
mislead the farmer, and he may think
they are still tender long after the
succulent stages are past. Passably
good hay may be made from the
common wild grasses growing in
low, wet meadows if they are cut
very early, but most of the species
become very woody and indigestible
if allowed to mature.
The proper time, or perhaps we
should say the latest time, at which
any grass or clover should be cut in
order to make the best of hay is
when in full bloom, and we would
prefer to commence little earlier
than to be little too late.
There are other important consid-
erations to be taken to account be-
sides that of making good and nutri-
tious food for stock, in thus advocat-
ing the early cutting Of the clovers
and perennial grasses, the most not
ed Of which is the effect upon the
roots remaining in the earth. Flo
rists will tell us that they can take
any Of the most tender annual plants
and make them live several years.
simply by not letting the seeds ma
ture. This same system of culture
changes the biennials to the perenni-
ais, and all through the prevention of
the exhaustive process of seed pro-
ducing and ripening of the same.
But the reserve Of this may in some
instances be produced by injudicious
management, as, for instance, our
common red clover is naturally pc
rennial plant, but on light, rather
poor soils, if permitted to ripen It's
seed, it will die the second year, or,
in other words, becomes Il biennial.
Whenever n farmer finds that his red
clover dies out after haying, he may
rest assured that his land is too poor
to sustain this plant or he deferred
the cutting too long. If clover is cut
when the first flowers appear, the
roots will seldom fail to put forth new
and vigorous growth and withstand
the cold of the ensuing winter with
out injury. This has been our ex-
in a locality where red
clover is considered a biennial plant.
The effect of early or late cutting can
readily be detected with any of our
native or introduced species of grass,
but it is more CONSPICUOUS in timothy
or herds grass (phieum prateuse)
than in any other, owing to its pc
culiar form Of root, it being a bulb
with small rootlets growing from the
lowermost point. The old bulb dies
after the stem and seed mature, and
new ones spring from near the base,
drawing their sustenance in part
from the parent bulb as well as from
the soil through the roots. The com
mon tubrose is a plant which propa-
gates upon a similar plan, but being
so much larger its characteristics are
better know. The bulbs may be two
or three years in attaining size and
strength sufficient to bloom, but
when the latter appears it is for once
only, as they never bloom again, the
remaining strength Of the old bulbs
being appropriated by small otfshoots
attached. The same rules apply to
tie grass known as timothy, hence it
it can be readily understood why
early cutting will be less exhaustive
than late or after the seed has
matured.
Every vegetable Psychologist will
tell us that seed production is the one
great exhaustive process in the life of
all plants, and in many kinds it is
closely followe 1 by death, and know
ing this the farmer should strive to
avoid it wherever it can be done
without interfering with the end
sought in the cultivation of any crop
or spcies of plant.
We believe the above brief hints
will be sufficient to show our agricul-
tural readers how they may improve
the quality of their hay and at the