Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-07-21

I
"let MS alone ON the school question. Is
there no hope of anything better? Unless
there is, it will be in vain that we look for
any great general improvement in the agri.
culture of Vermont
The Hay Season.
Grass is Vermont's staple crop, and It is
now being gathered in. Reports from diff
ferent sections lead to the belief that IL
will be about an average crop this year tax
ing the state together though it is thin in
spots where it has been winter-klled in
consequence Of the high winds of last winter
which blew away the snow from knobs and
elevated places. No one can travel over the
state, at this season Of the year without be-
ing convinced that there is being some i'm
provement made in grass culture, and more
in harvesting it. Early cutting is getting
year by year more common, aud although
the average yield does not increase 20 rap
idly as it ought TO- the feeding value is much
increased in consequence of the early har-
yesting Of the crop. The tendency now is
to keep less stock and feed it better, and the
result is shown in a considerable increase of
product. We arebeginning to economist in
the use of what we have the next step is
to have something better and more of it.
To have something better, we mean, in
the kinds Of feed, and also in the quality Of
the stock to which it is fed One Of these
improvements helps on the other The best
stock in the world is worthless when poorly
fed. We need not only the improvement
which is begun in the quality Of our feed by
means of early cutting, but we need more
variety of grasses and forage plants and we
need to grow them better in quality and
larger in amount by better tillnge. The
quality of hay grown at the rate of two tons
to the acre, is better than the quality of hay
grown at half a ton to the acre, not only be-
cause there are fewer weeds in it, but be-
cause soil that will give two tons to the
acre is well supplied with plant food, and
brings to richer and more nutritious con.
dition every spear Of grass in the field
We need more variety in the kinds of
winter forage we provide for our cattle, and
we are glad to see an increasing use of cured
corn fodder, the haying of oats, the cultiva-
ton of Alsike clover, Hungarian grass and
orchard grass. These new forage crops need
intelligent and particular handling to fit
them for use, and many discard them be
cause they do not know how to manage with
them One of the best papers in the re-
Gently issued report Of the Daiymen's As
ISOLATION, is by MIR. A. w. Cheever editor of
the Ner England Farmer, ON Grass Grow
ing Speciality Every farmer in Vermont
would be bettered in pocket by studying this
paper, far beyond the cost OF years sub
scrption to the Association Mr. Cheeyer
has made "Grass growing speciality for
twenty years, and therefore knows, and
makes successful application OF the knowl
edge, how to improve the most valuable OF
all our crops. lie speaks in the warnest
terms OF approval OF orchard grass in partic
ular' and shows how it should be grown
and why many have failed to find out il
'aluaole QUANTITIES. especially iof daify stock
i"oVohs 10 'he acre Is 'he standard To
"aru "hich we snoulu strive win the nay
crop ana De content ~ith nothing less inns
is double our present average yield, but be-
low the average oil some farms no better nat
uraliy 'hah others mat do not give SIX tons
10 Ten acres Two thhgs stand chiefly IN the
way of success one is seeding with grain
the other is too thin seeding. and with two
meadows in the fall, and neglected. topdress-
ing are also fatal TO a heavy grass cron. Now
- ,,a ,;r,o ., ,,,.a.ass i,,', a.
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