The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1876-07-19
Pea Hay.

says:
The vines are fit to be cut "wlnen
the vines are on the turning point"
that is, when here and there one is
turning yellow, Usually, the crop is
cut by scythes, the objection to NOW
ing machines is, that the vines, when
thrifty, are often badly lodged this
objection may be overcome in a great
measure by mixing some grains of
corr among the peas when sown. The
corn-stalks helping to uphold the pea
vines.
The main difficulty in curing pea
hay is, to retain the leaves on the
stalks, and the vines must be handled
MS little after being cut as possible.
Our plan for the past twenty years has
been, to leave the vines, as cut. for one
day, then take three short rails, place
them en- end 80 as to form a sharp
cone; on the ground and in center Of
this cone lay q longer rail, and after
piling the vines around the erect rails
rs high IS one can reach them with a
pitchfork, lift up the end of the rail
laying fiat On the ground, and prop it
up with a short stick. This will give
ample ventilation to the middle of the
stack. Leave the vines undisturbed
for two or three weeks, when they
will be found well cured and ready for
storing in the barn or elsewhere.
When storing away the fodder, use a
liberal supply of salt sprinkled over
every layer. This will help it to keep
its bright color, and be an advantage
when feeding.
1t is difficult to state the average
yield of forage, SO much depends on
quality of soil, manure, cultivation and
seasons, On good land, and under
good culture, two tons Of forage per
acre may be expected. In very IA
vorable years, when peas are sown at
the end Of April, we have frequently
harvested two crops of forage from
one sowing, and averaged fully two
tons from each cutting. This, how
ever, is unusual, and it is safe to say
that n ton per acre, is a probable
average under ordinary culture and
seasons. The market value of pea hay
ranges here from se%venty-fve cents per
hundred pounds in the fall, to $3.50
per hundred pounds in spring, and
500 per ton is about the average
price.
Well cured cow-pea hay is more nu-
tritious than any hay produced from
grasses, millet,o or other plants used for
the purpose. When the pods are left
until they are filed, the value of the
food is much increased. Horses and
mules relish this forage wonderfully,
and when fed upon il, should receive
less corn or oats than when fed upon
other provender. We find that n
ton of good pea hay will last as long as
a ton and a half Of northern baled hay
of good quality. The only care needed
in feeding horses and mules ON pea
hay is, not TO give them an oyer-feed
of it, especially if the forage contains
a large proportion Of peas; they are apt
to create flatulence and COLES.
Grinding Tools.
Edge tools are prepared by grinding,
very much as a plank would be re-
duced in thickness were a large plane
employed in which were set a hundred
or more very small gouges, each cut
ting q narrow groove, As the sharp
grit of the grindingstone is much
harder than the iron or steel, it cuts
very small channeA In the surface Of
the metal, and the revolving disc
takes away all the particles that are
detached by the grit. IF you will ex-
anime a tool that has just been
sharpened on a grindingstone, with d
powerful microscope, you will see that
it looks like the rough surface of a
field which has Just been plowed and
as the ridges and burrows run together
from beth sides, at the cutting edge,
the freshly-sharpened edge seems to
be formed Of very small teeth rather
than to be q perfectly smooth edge.
On this account a tool should first be
ground ON a coarse stone, 30 rs 10
wear away the surface rapidly then
polish il on a,wheel Of much finer tex
ture and then, 50 MS to reduce the fur
rows as much Us possible, 4 milestone
of the finest grit should be nssd. This
will give q cutting edge with the
smallest possible errratiOn. Look at
your razor after you have sharpened it
thoroughly, through the microscope.
and see the small projections of teeth
upon lis edge, which appears to the
naked eve perfectly smooth.
Beginners are sometimes told, when
grinding edge tools, to make the stone
reyolvo towards the cutting edges and
occasionally from it. When the first
grinding i being done, il matters lit-
te whether this is attended TO; but
when the finishing touches are given
near and at the very edge, the task
can always be accomplished with much
greater accuracy if the periphery or
circumference of The grindingstone re-
velves toward the cutting edge. for
the steel which IL worn away win then
be more easily removed; and when
the stone runs IN an opposite direction,
the grinder can not always tell when
the tool Is ground up to the edge.
This n particularly the cafe when the
steel is 81 4 soft temper. The stone.
when running from The edge can not
sweep away every particle of the
metal, but when Il revolves towards
the edge, II carries off all the teathery
edge.-Cer. Country Geeaenan..
Common Sense in Tree Pruning.
There appears 10 be. here and there.
q return to common sense ideas about
pruning fruit trees. NE have had all
sorts II theories and much time has
been spent in arguing the question of
summer, Or spring, Or winter pruning.
Nov. broadly speaking, q tree should