The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-09-05
Sunshine and Hay.

DO iiCtte attention has been paid il
the cotton growing States to the grow
ing and curing of hay that, from wan
of properknoWledge of the matter ans
experience, many who. have made
some effort to that end have met will
such poor results asto be discouraged
In no.case, we feel sure, have mis-
takes been oftener made than in the
time OF cutting and manner of curing
and these, it hardly need he said, are
the all important matters Inlay. max.
ing. It has been a prevalent i'm pres.
SION heretofore, notonly in the Soatl
but eren-in the States in which hay
making is mach more of a business
that grass should stand in the field nm
I'll It is ripe, CT nearly so. Reference
has already been made, in II former
a'tIele,@sto the fact thai much untri
ment instiie grass Is thus lost by being
conreitedzinto woody fibre, but there
is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of no less i'm
poTtance, Why grass shouId BE cnt SO
early for hay. That is, if cnt even be
fore the head appears, second crop
Of good hay may be obtained from. al
most any variety ofgrass Tdat tits
Is true any one may see from the fact
that any Of the grains, such as rye,
wheat or oats, will take q second
growth and form heads after being
srazed off.
The National Live Stock journal in
an article On the subject states that
Mr.. Scott, of Vermont, has been in the
habltof cutting his grass before the
hands appear, his theory being that
iii the grass is cut before this seed
stalk begins to shoot upward, the same
stalk that is cut off begins to grow
again instead Of starting new shoot
from the roots" By pursuing this
plan Mr.. Scott has cut as much as five
tons OF hay per acre. The same gen.
tleman by actual experiment, has
proved that this hay, cut before the
grass has formed the head is of more
value both in feeding cattle for milk
and in feeding for flesh, than common
hay. There is still another considera-
ton why those who raise hay shoald
cut it early; it does less injury to the
meadows. This may be readily in
ferred from the fact that if successive
crops of hay, headed and matured, are
taken from the meadow, it results in
deterioration to the land, whereas if
grass lands are only grazed the land
may even improve.
In regard to curing hay, as great a
mistake as permitting it to stand too
long in the field, has been very gencr-
ally committed. The old adage,
make while the sun shinesn is all very
we'll and proper, but too much sun
Shine will inevitably do much toward
nnmakIng the value of the hay. 1t
has been demonstrated by many who
have experimental in the last few
years, that very few hours of hot sun.
shine are sufficient for the curing of
hay. The idea that hay not thorough
~ dried in the sun will spoil in bulk
Is erroneous, if it is properly treated.
The main point is to keep tie air out
as much as possible, and even if the
hay does ''sweat" in the bulk it will
dry out if left undisturbed and kept as
near air tight as possible. Acting IN.
on this theory, several European ma
tons, principally the French, have
adopted system of preserving forage
OF all kinds, called ensiloge. Their
plan is to place corn fodder or other
foragein pits of six or eight feet in
depth, having sloping sides, after only
few hours sun curing, pack down
hard, and cover with pyramid of
dirt. Being thus kept dry and air
tight the forage is kept in a perfect
state of preservation, has more nutri-
ment than ordinary forage, and even
large stalks are rendered soft and d.
gestible. We should be glad if some
one will try the eusilage method and
report upon the results. IF any one
will do SO, we will publish the full de-
tail of the method. The bony live
stock of most Southern farms are a.
constant reminder of the necessity of
paying more attention to the feed
question than heretofore.-I Son of the
Soil.
y USSIAN GUT VIOLIN STRINGS