The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-08
Anaerso1t Jnteaigerter.
Tmportance Of Hay as a Farm Product.

Importance Of Hay as Farm Product.
We invite the attention of our farming COM
m,,nitv to the following sensible article from
the Monroe (Ga.) Advertiser. In midsummer,
when grass is abundant, very few persons think
of the Importance of an ample supply OF win
ter forage, and, consequently, neglect the time
honored iniunetion, "Make hay while the sun
Shines" There are two points of great lmpor'
tance connected with hay-making, to which we
wish to direct attention. First, the grass
should be cut when green, while the seed are
In the dough state. Seconas It must not De TOO 20
long exposed to the SUE and dew-especIaiiy
erab-grass. It requires very little sunshine 20
cure It. That which is cut in the mornlng may
be hauled up the same afternoon, and ongnt
never to remain ort more than one nlght;;
Much hay is ruined by being ent too iate' anu
still more BY being left out too long,.
Editor 4dvsrtiser AS the season Tor saving
hay will soon be at hand, and appreciating the
value, of this crop, and knowing the scarcity
ef stock feed in our section for several years
past, we would urge our agricultural friends
to give the subject that earnest and timely at
tention that its importance demands. Let
every farmer who owns horse, cow and call,
be determined to devote four or i've days or
more to saving hay this present summer, no
matter how much it may conflict with the COZ
ton crop or other farm labor, as we are satls-
fed that farm labor employed IN any otner
way cannot be made more profitable or remu-
neratiye than in saving hay at the proper time.
AS there are many ways in which an abundant
supply of good hay may be secured, no farmer,
however Door himself or his lands may be,
should have an excuse for neglecting this crop.
The German millet is highly priced by those
who have tried it, yielding from l. to tons
per acre on ordinary land. It natures ana Is
ready for moving in sixty days from seeaing'
It should be sown broadcast at the rate OF one,
half of bushel per acre, having the land well
broken and narrowed before sowing, and cov-
cred by harrow or heavy brush run over 1t. IL
may be sown as late as the LIST OF July, out we
think it does better sown in May. Ii IS our
opinion that it will come into general use ana a. I
take the place, to large extent, OF the oat
CROP. and become to the Georgia farmer what
clover is to Tennessee and Kentucky.
Our Georgia crab grass makes an excellent
hay and we think fully equal to the much val
ued clover and timothy of higher latitudes
when cut at the right stage and properly cured.
The best method for obtaining crop OF this
grass is to take the plows into the wheat or oat
fields after the stock have got the gleanlngs,
and break with scoeters close and deep, one
acre to the horse, (which will take the plow
team but one day from the regular CROP or if
it be desirable to pasture the wheat or oat field
for the summer, any lands at rest and in cultl-
yation last year, if not too much exhausted,
will bring crab grass after good breaking.
In 1871 we tested the comparative value OF
a wheat and hay crop upon the same land.
After taking off the wheat we treated the stub,
BILE as above mentioned, had the grass moved
in September, making II tons per acre of line
hay, worth $4,000, against ten bushels OF wheat,
$3.50, with cost of $3.50 per acre more than
the hay.
Upon many of the farms of our county there
are branches and creek bottoms that afford an
abundant supply of swamp grass that may be
into hay later in the season. All such lands
are valuable even if not drained and cultiva-
ted, for the abundant supply of grass they af.
ford. They should be cleared of all brush and
timber, we'll drained, and if not desirable for
cultivated crops they can be made the most
profitable lands on the farm by raising grass
alone. The writer has taken off and cured
three tons of swamp grass per acre, worth at
least so cents per hundred pounds, and estima-
ting the cost of labor and comparing it with
other farm products from the cultivated crops,
we were forced to admit that the former yield
ed the largest per cent of clear profit Herds
grass is we'll adapted to our swamp lands,
grows here to perfection, and equally valuable
for grazing or making hay. Every farmer who
has bottom lands should procure seed of this
grass, thoroughly prepare the land by breaking
and narrowing, sow half bushel seed per acre
in March or April, and we venture the opin-
ion that he can realize $4,000 per acre annual.
ly without any labor except that of moving
and housing the hay.
IF it ia not practicable or desirable to pro.
cure hay from the native or cultured grasses,
let peas be sown this month to be cut green
and we'll cured for stock feed during the win
ter. The farmer who depends upon corn, fod-
der, shucks, or even a good oat crop for his
stock food during the year is neglecting better
and cheaper methods, and will not appreciate
their economical value until he tries the expe-
riment 1t is the opinion of Northern men
who have famed in both sections that the
South possesses superior advantages over the
North in the product of hay, and more hay of
better quality can be raised here than at the
North. We must begin agricultural reforms
as conditions precedent to anything like per-
manent prosperity in our section. We must
give less area if not attention to cotton, and
raise more food for man and beast. Cur work
animals and stock generally can be kept in
better condition and at nearly one-half the ex-
pense by having an ample supply of good hay
that costs but trihe to secure it. Let our far
mers, during the present summer, be deter.
mined TO snake hay while the sun shines, :"
and we doubt not, if the motto is reduced to
practice, there will be more sunshine about the
heart in looking upon an improved condition
of his stock during the winter, and in not ex-
periencing the modification of buying western
corn and hay at exorbitaut prices during the
spring.
How THEY BURIED THE HATCHsT.-The
day following our centennial festivities the fol.
lowing incident occurred in q South End sal
oon A friend had invited one of the South
Carolina soldiers into the saloon to put anoth-
~ tnrf an tbo hur;ed hatchet While stand