Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-02

TINE TO CUT GRAss.-The extreme
heat of the past few days, and the very
small amount of rain during the month of
Nav. remind US of an early hay harvest,
and if we desire good flow Of milk next
winter. and good percentage of butter
(and it must be remembered that there is
an increasing demand for fresh winter
butter,) due attention must he given to the
time OF cutting the grass. 1t will be in
vain that we attempt to make first-class
butter unless we have the best kind of hay.
Good butter is only made where the per-
centage is large. Who ever heard Of a
cow giving first-class butter that only pro.
duced small quantity? A leading dairy
man says: "A hundred million dollars
slip through the hands of farmers annu.
ally in consequence of bad butter" 1t is
said of one who probably averages a
greater production of butter per head than
any other farmer in Vermont, and who
also obtains leading price, that " he cuts
his grass twice year (when 1t is grass)
for about the same amount of our natural
crop" We here have one of the secrets
of this gentleman's success. If it is de-
sired to obtain a good supply of butter and
of the first quality, the grass must be cut
while it is grass; it will not do to wait till
it has matured its seed. 1t were better to
cut it before it blossoms, for then larger
percentage of butter can be obtained and
then it will have the aroma of June butter,
though made in January. This cutting
two crops, if no more is obtained in
weight than when only one crop is har-
vested, has q decided advantage, for it
contains larger percentage of digestiblc
matter, which is more valuable than that
produced from the older cut hay. because
of the large amount of butter it contains,
and of tue essentials for making a first
class article.
The cutting of grass, while it is grass,
gives this leading Vermont dairyman an
average of four hundred and thirteen
pounds per COW of first-class butter, while
the average production of the state is only
ninety-eight pounds per COW, and only five
per cent of this is ranked as frst-class.
Again, if the increase of the average
quantity, and also the increase of the per-
centage of first-quality butter, is desired,
before we begin to consider the propriety
of purchasing improved utensils for setting
the milk and churning, we must COM
mence with the feed and the first essential
is to cut the grass while it is grass, even if
we cut it three times year, and then only
obtain the same weight that others do who
cut but once year. There is little doubt,
however, but that a larger weight of hay
will be obtained where it is cut twice than
where it is cut but once. In dry seasons
like the present the general idea is 10 let
the grass stand to fill up, particularly if
there is an appearance of rain. and there
is no doubt there is a filling up after rain
comes, in June, and even later, but that
which fills up is new grass, and while we
are waiting for it the matured garss is
becoming every day of less and less value.
The most profitable way is to cut the
first though light, while in bloom, and
before rather than after, then cut that
which would fill up if waited for, and
thus obtain two crops which would make
iirst.class butter. in place of one. The
half or two-thirds of this would do little
more than sustain life, while it would be
the latter growth that would make the
small amount of butter obtained. Orchard
and June grass and clover are coming
forward rapidly, and will be ready to cut
the first week in June. Wherever these
grasses are cultivated they afford the
farmer an opportunity of getting his hay
while in the best condition, for where
timothy and red-top are the only varieties
grown, some will. as consequence, be |
over ripe before it can be cut; but when a |
part of the hay crop consists of these
early glasses they can be secured before
the latter are ready TO cut, and so the
farmer can harvest n whole crop of hay,
every part of which will make first-class
butter. Clover sown with timothy and
red-top is almost worthless before the
grasses are headed out. If it is desired
to secure good hay for butter it would be
better to cut even the timothy aud red-top
while the clover is in bloom, than waste
the clover by waiting for the grass.
Where the hay crop is to be sold the
grower will no doubt consult his own
interests in preference to that of the
purchaser, but even in this case he might
cut early and secure Il good second crop,
which would be excellent for his milch
.ows.-AmericdS Cultivator.