Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-06-18

The value of the hay crop is greatly
reduced by late cutting. The weight of
late cut crop is increased, but it is at ex-
pcnse of the feeding value. In fact, the
gain in weight is a delusive advantage,
because to cut the hay late is to prevent a
luXuriant aftermath, which generally fol-
lows an early-cut crop and gives a second
cutting in good season to cure it. The
hay crop of the present season is promis-
ing, and will be both abundans and early.
The appearance of the fields Just now is
very instructive. Where the grass has been
laid down upon well-manurcd soil, the
crop is thick and full, but upon poor lands
it is light and thin, Notwithstanding
abundant rains. The general custom OF
seeding down the land after it has been
exhausted by series of exacting crops is
IA mistake, and the result is what is known
rs a poor catch, or miss altogether. On
the contrary, fields that have been thorough
ly well prepared by blowing, narrowing,
and fertilizing, and have been seeded
down without any grain crop, generally
present a satisfactory appearance. A
field thus seeded down last August, after
a crop of oats was reaped, just now pre-
sents striking contrast to the average
meadow. The field was plowcd, cross.
plowed, and twice narrowed; it WAS then
top dressed with fine manure and sown
down with three bushels of orchard grass
and one peck of clover per acre. The
promise is fair for three tons of hay per
acre and second cutting in addition.
The grass stands three feet high, with a
level surface over the whole field and so
thick that the bottom is blanched. 1t is
now in process of cutting; the grass not
yet blossomed, but well in head. The
clover is Just showing blossoms, and the
grass and clover both are, therefore, in the
very best condition for hay of the best
quality. Being cut so early-the last
week in May-there will be plenty of time
to mature n second crop of hay, and still
leave respectable pasture late in the season
for few COWS or young stock. Thus The
expense of putting in the crop will be well
repaid. Further, it is an example of the
value of orchard grass. This is an early
grass, and has broad and numerous leaves
1t springs rapidly into growth after cut
ting, and soon covers the ground witt
heritage. 1t natures at the same time Us
red clover, and may thus be protitably an(
Iusefully sown with that. 1t will resis
close pasturing, and its only fault is it
habit of growing in lunches when sowr
thinly. This is easily overcome by usn!
plenty of seed and by adding fresh clover
seed occasionally when the grass is to b.
kept permanently. For shaded pasture
or meadows, or for orchards, there is n,
other grass equal to this. The hay is soft
palatable, and nutritious, if cut early; i
| iaft until tho cnol i- rina ,o i, 81 IL;
or, being dry, hard and woody. Clover i
also crop that should be cut early ant
, cured carefully, both TO preserve its qualit
and to prevent loss in bulk.
A rule, the grass crop is cut too late
and this becomes more and more undesir
a able in practice from the habit of usin!
but one kind of grass (timothy) in seede
meadows. Timothy and clover do nc
= mature for cutting together. The forme
is too late for the latter, and if the Glove
e is to be saved in good condition, the timo
: thy is cut too early, and the yield
n sacrificed; otherwise the clover is sacritiC
s ed. BY hitting the happy mean, however
timothy and clover hay may be saved i
r good condition. 1t will be found yer
: desirable TO grow more than one kind c
o grass for hay, and if any other tina
II timothy is to be chosen, it should by a
q means be orchard grass. The grass wi
d be ready for cutting two weeks befor
timothy, and so much of the hay crop wi
Il be out of the way before there is DANCE
V of any portion becoming too old for tn
. best uses.
o The practice Of making hay has bee
much modified since the present exceler
e haying implements have come into use
q The mower spreads it SO evenly that tn
:. grass may be cured ready for raking u
q in few hours, and the horse rake ca
If then bunch it up before shutdown of tn
9 day on which it vas cut BY cutting q
g soon as the dew is off, the grass, unles
,e remarkably heavy, will be ready for tn
q rake 10y 4 o'clock in the afternoon, whe
n it may be put up in winrows ready fo
n hauling the next afternoon. The practic
y of curing in the cock is coming general
~ into favor Of late. The partial iermenta
l. ton produced in the cock greatly in
Ie proves the hay in digeslibility and muir
!. tiousness, and the practice is CONVEX
a fence, in that the whole crop may he e
r. on the ground until it can be cured, an
If then hauled in without break or changn
II bulk; and it is changing bulk that give
a so much extra labor and loses SO niue
r valuable time. The hay to be thus cure
is put into cocks on the evening of the da