Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-07-02
Early Cut Hay.


The power of days good sunshine to
make hay is immense; its power TO burn
up and destroy. aud render almost worth
less the best grass Is also immense. More
hay is injured by being over cured than
by being cured or dried too liule. Talk
with all the men keeping horses in the
city of Boston. with every milk farmer
and dairyman in New England, and they
will tell you that hay cut in the morning.
thoroughly dried by being twice thrown
into the heated air of July hay day,
with the thermometer at eighty-tive de-
grees. by means of a tedder. and hauled
into the barn at 4 o'clock in the after
noon. is the best hay to feed out to horses
or mich cows that was ever put upon II
fork. Horses will work better upon it !;
COWS will yield more milk upon it than
upon double the quantity of late cut hay.
or OF hay from which the life has all been
burned out. Scientists may talk all they
will about the slight difference in the value
OF analysis between early and late cut
hay, the invariable answer from practical
men everywhere, who are feeding out hay
constantly and watching its results, to the
question, "What is the best hay for
horses, for mich cowsl" Fine, early
cut hay for cows; good. early cut timothy
for horses, no wLite-weed. hauled in the
same day it was cut" We have had this
answer repeatedly from hundreds of prac
tcal feeders of whom we have asked the
question. One says good sun is sufficient
for hay of ordinary quality; if The grass
contain great deal of clover. cock up in
the afternoon of the first day. cover with
hay cap and haul IN the second day.
Rain water is another thing; we are not
speaking of that now. If down grass gets
wet, the water must be expelled before it
can he safely put in the barn.-Amsrican
| CuitiUdtOr.
HAY.-Recent investigations threaten to
upset some popular notions. 1t has long
been supposed that early cut hay is more
valuable ltan that cut later. If the judy
ment of the cows were Il test. there would
be no question about it, They will leave
he ripper hay, and even refuse to eat it at
all if they can procure that which has been
cut earlier. In the writer's dairy. the
milk falls off more than ten per cent when
the young hay is changed for that cut two
weeks later. This is sufficient to support
the general opinion in spite of chemical
analysis, which goes 10 show that ripe hay
Is heavier, more bulky, and contains more
nutritious substance, than that cut earlier.
Prehaps the operations of the chemist can
extract more nutriment from ripe hay
than Can the cows stomach but as young
hay feeds more profitably, it seems best
to cut early.-American Agriculturist.
CURING HAY.-Expedition is the watch
word of the hay maker. Not only does
he wish to be expeditions that he may
secure his whole crop in good season, but
also that every load may be brought to
the barn in good condition. The sooner
grass can be cured after it is cut the less
liable it is to injury from rains and dews.
Hay tedders will do all that is claimed for
them but they are expensive, both in buying
and housing, and it will be many years
before they come inlo general use. With
out tedders early cut and stout grass
cannot be carted the day it is cut. Such
grass. if thoroughly wilted. should be-
raked and put into large cocks while still!
warm. If the next morning is pleasant
at what hour would you have this hay
spread out? Last seasf II we tried the
method of opening hay for the first work
done in the morning with good success
The dew does no harm, and the hay will
be half dried and ready to turn by the
time it is usually opened, thus being lit to
cart at least two hours sooner, and per
| haps escape AN afternoon shower. If
farmers will try this way of opening hay
early in the morning few times, they
will continue it through the season.
Correspondent, in american Cultiuator.