Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-08-06
Opening Hay.

Mr. EDITOR AS you wanted some Of us
farmers to try opening hay in the morning
when the dew was on, and write the results
to you, tried it Saturday. | put up six
one.horse loads into small cocks Sunday it
was rainy all day, so Monday morning the
ground and hay was quite wet, but we had
it all opened by fifteen minutes past seven,
except about 20 cocks, which we did not
open till L o'clock. The ground was then
nearly dry and so were the cocks ou the out
side. As soon as we had opened the 20, we
commenced to turn that which we opened in
the morning, and nearly accomplished it be-
fore dinner After dinner we finished turn
ing that which was opened carly in the
morning, and commenced to close it up, and
when we had finished closing we then
put in tumbles ready to pitch. We con-
cluded that that which was opened at IL
O'Clock was as dry as that which was opened
early in the morning, with saving of turn
ing once, but had known that the next day
would have been fair it would have been
great saving to have let them stand till Tues
day morning, and then turned them bottom
side up, after the dew was off.
There has been great deal said 10 regard
to cutting aud curing hay, but the best way
that have ever found in catching weather
was as soon as the water was out, put the
hay into small cocks-Dot over 30 pounds
when greenland in no case have it rolled
together Il would not give man his board
to cock up hay, that followed the old theory
Of large cocks because they shed rain botter) ;
about the second day, if the weather coutin-
ues dull, shake them over, aud the third day
hay cured in this way will be fit to put in
the barn. Yours respectfully,
ii. =. KING.
Sheffield, July 81, 1875.
I'VE are glad Mr. King has made so ful
a report of his experiment in curing hay.
We did not intend to be understood as advis-
ing that hay cocks which have stood out
through a rainy day, can be opened early in
the morning while the outside is full of wa
ter and cured without much labor. 1t is
our own custom, when the weather seems to
be settled, to let such cocks stand over one
day, and when the water is dried off from the
outside, then open early without regard to
the dew. Sometimes, however, we have not
an even chance of two good days in success
sion, and must do the best we can with 1t
We should suppose that hay which woulC
dry after eleven o'clock in time to cart il
good season, must be nearly cured already
When showers come at two or three o'clocl
nearly every afternoon, it is Of the highes
Importance to start the cart early. 1t i
our custom to have hay that is opened b.
seven O'Clock ready to cart by eleven ant
push one load into the barn before dinner
Then if showers come by two or three o'clock
a good part of it will be safe. 1t is tru
that hay opened while the ground Is all we
with dew must be turned. But when tn
cart can be started three hours earlier by S
doing, it pays.
We cannot agree with Mr. King in regar
to small hay cocks when rain is coming
Too much outside is exposed to the bleachin
process, which spoils the hay very quickly
When Mr. King or others make moth
trial, please do 50 with hay that has not bee
rained on, then begin to turn it by nine o
half.past nine, if it is a good day, and not
E the result.