The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-10
CUT THE GRASS.

CUT THE GRASS.
Do not wait for the grass or the clover
to get ripe before you cut it for hay.
Any of the meadow grasses are in their
prime for hay, SO far as nourishment is
concerned, just after they are out of
bloom. The sap that goes to form the
seed is then in its best state of elabora-
ton. Every day the farmer waits after
wards initiates against the value of the
hay for feeding stock, for the nutriment
in the stock goes towards the ripening of
the seed, and in grass this is the least
valuable. The same rule will apply to
clover or any other forage crop, includ-
ing Indian corn for fodder. Cut any for
age crop just after the time it has fairly
formed its seed heads. For selling to
city consumers it does not so much mat
ter. Many of them like ripe hay. If
they will have it, let them. 1t is their
privilege to buy what they like-if they
can pay for it. Those who keep them
selves posted on the subject of agricul-
ture don't want ripe hay. Some men
who keep batting stables in cities, like
hay dead ripe; horses do not eat SO much
Of it.
In moving, do not set the sickle bar
too close to the ground, especially if it
be timothy. An inch stubble is quite
close enough. Timothy forms q bulb at
the surface of the ground. Close cutting
often kills this, and the farmer who does
not read is somewhat puzzled to know
why his timothy is suddenly killed. 1t
IS oftener from close cutting than from
freezing out, or any other cause.
In curing hay, do not let it get too dry
before raking. Rake as soon as the hay
will gather we'll in the rake. Do not let
nearly dried hay take rain if it can pos
sibly be avoided 1t is cheaper in the
end to spread hay from the cock than to
let it get wet in the swathe, and especi-
ally better to open the cocks rather than
let it get wet III the windrow. Glover
hay should be simply allowed to get half
Try on the ground, and then be cured in
high, narrow cocks. Even if, i'll curing,
it browns some, it Is better than to let it
become Dleached by exposure to the sun.
Bleaching causes the leaves to drop. If
lightly heated in the cock, the leaves
are toughened.
Do not salt wet hay with view of bet
tering its condition. 1t will not help
bit-wi,l injure it rather; that is stock
that are starved for the want of salt will
cat rotten hay for the sake of the salt.
Better use the spoiled hay for littering
the yards and give the animals their salt,
us it comes from the dealer. If hay is
rather green from the sap it contains,
thoroughly dried salt will take up much
of the superintendent moisture, and the
quality of the hay will remain intact. In
any case we should not give more than
eight quarts of salt to the ton. Thus
sailed it may be used once day as a
feed, and preferably in the morning.
Since 1t will excite thirst, at about the
time the stock are turned out to drink.
1t is not generally known that hay may
be put in barn much greener than in o
stack, and come out all right. The rea-
son Of this is that it is kept more per-
fectly from contact with the air. It will
sometimes heat severely. The moisture
will stand over the top of the NOW, and
for the reason that during the process of
fermentation, the moisture rises to the
surface faster than it can be absorbed by
the air in the barn. Whenever this is
the case, if the NOW gets so hot that
,herpened stake driven deep in the NOW,
and allowed to remain over night comes
out in the morning SO hot as to be too
warm for the hand, there will be danger
of serious NOW burning. If only gent
lie heat is experienced, the hay will not
be injured, and although it may be
Drowned somewhat, many good farmers
consider it better for this fermentation.
The safe rule, however, is to so dry the
hay that it will retain its normal green
color rs hay in the now or stack sofar as
possible.