The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-07-20
Agricultural.
Hay and Having.

The artificial production of hay is Of
comparatively modern origin. Red clover
was unknown in England prior to 1888, and
white clover was nst introduced until the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century. Our well
known timothy was first known in Europe in
176O, and not until 20 years later we're the
better grasses generally cultivated. In this
country timothy was first raised in Virginia,
where it originated in 1856. Orchard grass
was first grown in the same State in 1894,
and at about this time the systematic cult
walton of most of the improved grasses may
be said To have begun. The hay CROP of this
country, as well as that of England, as we
have seen, has been the outgrowth of the
last hundred years. On this side of the At
lantic 1t has increased in bulk and in value
during the last quarter of century with
amazing rapidty. In 1910 we cut and cured
In round numbers 10, 100000 tons in 1850,
100000 tons; in 1860, 19,000,0 900. In
1870 this product reached the vast aggregate
Of "a ,3l6, ,04S tons, an increase of more than
100 per cent. in 20 years. Estimating it at
the exceedingly low sum of Sl2 ton, it
reaches the enormous total value of $780,
100000. Between cutting this vast amount of
hay when it ought to be cut, and curing it
as 1t ought to be cured, and cutting it and
curing It when and as it is done on too many
farms, there is difference in value of at
least $50 900, 900. This sum looks frightful,
t,ta "a Of
timothy cut when it is coming into bloom.
and cured in the most approved way, is
worth 90 per cent. more to feed to any kind
of stock than if cut when past its maturity,
and cured in the hap-hazard manner that
characterizes the operations of third-rate
farmers the world over. A practice OF 30
years satisfied me that the best time to cut
the different grasses, and the best way to
cure them is as follows.
We always begin to NOW clover when the
heads are one quarter turned-to use an ex-
preston that every farmer will understand.
Earlier than this is always better than later.
We never enter the field with the moving
machine until the dew is entirely off, and
the time when the dew begins to fall-to use
q common expression-as possible we 60 to
the field and turn the dry side under and
the green side up, and the next day, as soon
as it is fairly dry-as soon as the stems are
shrunken SO that the juices are in state of
rest and not activity-we pitch it into win
rows, giving the underside of the locks a
minutes sun as we turn them over while
moving them, and then follow with the
team and if possible, and if the days have
been favorable, have what is cut at o'clock
one day in the barn by 2 or 3 o'clock the
next. By this process not leaf is left in
the field; and although it will heat perhaps
little in the NOW, especially if it is large
and coarse, yet it will not injure and, on
the other hand, when the time of feeding
comes it will have most satisfactory smell,
and cattle will eat it and thrive upon it, as
upon no other hay. As to timothy and red
top, we always cut timothy when one-half
the heads are in full bloom, and red-top
when three-qnarters of the seed branches
have fallen away from the center stalk. As
with clover we never cut until the dew is off ;
and if the grass is not too heavy, and the
day is good; and the tedder is kept at work,
we try to get in condition to go in the barn
the following day without opening, always
beginning to cart the dryest when the sun
gets towards its meridian, and pitching it into
the hay-rack, not in forkfuls of so pounds
weight, bnt taking time to open it little,
as it goes on to the load, to both the air and
sun. As to natural grasses we always cut
little before maturity, and never over-dry.
If stress of weather precipitates housing
what has been cut before it is the right con-
dition, a half peck or more of common salt
to a ton, will relieve any anxiety with regard
to injury in the NOV. The country never
was as bare OF hay as it is now, and so much
the more need of cutting the new crop in
season and curing it the best.-R.