The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-11
Salt and Ventilation In Curing
and p eserving Hay.

Preserving hay 20 as have II fresh
and sweet. as well ~ free from
mould. has not received that atJcn-
ton from the a.rIculturlst< that
its importance demands. one
pound Of sweet. perfnmed hay Is
worth two mouldy pounds. There
; al art IN curing hay % that nat
ural aroma Viii make the horses
"mouth water" We reproduce
the discussion on curing hay. before
the New York Farmers Club. rs
follows
Mr.. \. HALEY replied that salt
or a little air-slacked lime Will pre-
e II hay from moulding. He pre-
ferred the salt. and applied seat
tered on each layer about three
pecks to a big ~wagon-load of hay.
Glover hay cut rather green and
allowed to take Its first sweat III
small cocks before putting up With
salt. a suggested. makes excellent
feed for COWS. but * rather fatten-
mo for horses. It viii also weigh
much more when taken to market
OH a damp day if 1t has been salted.
"A fact that most farmers are not
aware of. For horses Mr.. HALEY
does not cut clover until IL Is rlper.
In old fashioned barns and IN we'll
ventilated mows clover hay, though
cut rather green should not. IN his
opinion, mould.
In answer to IA question asked II
HAY viii heat that has been well
cured, Prof. Smith SAID that Il will
when cut a little green, but that
the salt recommended Will prevent
it from mustlng.
President Heath and Prof. Dunn
advocated we'll ventilated mows.
The former affirmed that yentlla-
ton without salt will prevent
moulding.
Mr.. Il. J. Dodge described ali
arrangement for ycntilating NOW
seen at Echo Farm. winch he APP
proved. This consisted Of Il mum
Der Of frames made o. four >quar,
pieces Of wood fastened at She tOI
md bottom like the legs o. Il tahl,
md a little sloping, SO that one vii
it oven the other making a ventlIa-
tor through the NOV. He also
suggested the more usual and
homlv method Of setting empty
barrels with both ends out, on top
Of each other. making a chimney
all the way through this now
A farmer who cuts timothy Just
after the last bloom falls, for the
best hay, gives the following dlrcc-
tions IF the land is dry clay
loan, timothy and clover make a
good mixture; if inclined to be wet,
SOW timothy and red-top, and for
pasture, timothy, red-top and pure
grass.
Another farmer speaks in favor
of ripened grass. He said that
when timothy is cut green serious
damage is liable to follow to the
roots from the effects of the hot
sun. Moving too early and too
close has, IN his opinion, ruined
many a meadow. lie top dresses u
meadow as soon as possible alter
harvest. 1t serves is a mulch TO
retain and gather moisture and
gives the roots ii fresh start.
Another farmer added that the
close cropping of the aftermath
of timothy by horses, sheep, and
even cattle is fatal to the tubers OF
the plant, which require the aid OF
the green portion OF leaves to pre-
serve It's vitality and strength
during the winter. For this rea-
son timothy alone is not adapted
for permanent pasture. Neither Is
the practice OF sowing red clover
with timothy approved OF on &C
count Of the different seasons OF
towering. John Henderson ha
recommended that the mammoth
ur alsS ke cloNtl Obvlates tins diff
Guilty, us they flower or mature
about the same time DIS the timothy.
Mr.. Henderson advises d top-dress-
ing Immediately after the nay has
been removed off the stubble. He
also cautions that all stock be kept
off the remainder Of the season.