New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-03-09
The Best Time to Cut Grasses.

should be cut before the seed has ma
tured. As rule, grasses for hay are
at their best when in blossom. At this
period of growth they are more palata-
BILE to stock, being less woody than
when cut later, and the roots are also
loft in a .better condition for a second
or another annual crop. Clover is
usually cut while in full blossom,
though some cultivators wait until a
few of the seeds begin to dry up and
the reproductive functions are being
brought into play for the maturing of
the seed. There are exceptions urged
to this universal rule of cutting grasses
Tor hay while in bloom, in the case of
some OF the natural grasses. Crested
.dog-tail, for instance, has been found
on analysis to be an exception; so has
orchard grass, which at the time the
seed is ripe and at the time of Towering
IS In regard to its nntritive qualities as
seven to five. It has also been proven
that the stems of timothy contain more
nutritive matter when the plant is near
ly ripe than at the time of towering,
but it has also been discovered that tie
loss Of aftermath which would have
formed had the plant been cut in BIOS
som more than balances the gain of
nutriment in the ripaning seeds. While
there are different times for the differ
emit varieties OF grasses, the time of
Towering is the general indication for
the harvest to begin. At this season
the saccharine juices that go to form
and develop the seed are in the stock
and leaves, and if the grass is mown
then it must OF necessity be palatable
and succulent. Another argument ad-
vanced for cutting grass before the ma
turity OF tho seed is that when the seed
is allowed to form the vitality of the
grass becomes impaired, q heavier draft
is made upon the soil and the meadow
in consequence soon runs out.
The testimony given from time to
time by farmers with respect to the
height from the ground at which it is
best to cut grass is con Aicting and tends
to confuse and mislead noyices in the
bayfield,. Cultivators range in prac-
tice from one-half inch or as close as
possible to four inches. The general
tendency, however, is to cut too close,
and many fine meadows have been Sc
riously injured therefrom.
Timothy cannot be cut low, especial
~ in dry weather, without harm at
tending therefore it is advised that all
attempts at close shaving the sward be
avoided. Not few of our most sue
cessful farmers cut timothy nearly or
quite four inches from the ground. 9th
ers,. in gauging mowing-n>achines for
this grass, take care to run them so high
that it will not be cut below the second
Joint above the tuber..
of
cannot but be injurious, as the action
OF the hot sun and dry weather follow
ing harvest affects the roots of the grass
most unfavorably when left without
sonic protection. On the other hand.
wet moving grounds will bear cutting
close as possible and be benefited bY
the same influences which would dry
and burn up an upland meadow.
Where the practice is followed of top
dressing the meadow Immediate
~ after taking off the grass
close moving is also permissible.
Generally speaking, however, grasses
which are cut two inches high will
start much quicker and thrive much
better than when shaved close to the
ground. Fine grasses, as a rule, when
the season is not a very dry one, may
be cut lower with safety than coarser
kinds.
In cloudy weather grass dries but
slowly, and is liable to be stacked or
housed without sufficient curing, hence
the wisdom of cutting meadows in
fair weather. The precaution should
also be observed Of cutting only so
much grass at one time as can be prop
erly handled. Grasses dry much more
rapidly if cut after the morning dew is
off than they will if wet When the
moving is done. Rapid drying is an
absolute necessity when the best quail
ty of hay is desired. As there is moth.
ing that assists in quick curing more
than good tedder, farmers who have
much grass to harvest will do we'll to
provide themselves with so valuable an
.imp1cment.-M Y World:
How the Shakers Exercised the Devil.
A CURIOUS story, which will be new
to many, is told at TyringEam, Mass.
Several years ago there lived in Tyring-
ham Hollow prosperous family OF
Shakers. At one time several of their
porkers were taken sick, and they could
account for the complaint in no way ex-
cept on the supposition that the devil
had entered into the swine. They tore
down the pens to find him, aud in the
midst of the work a weasel ran out
from the rubbish. 1t was perfectly evil
dent that the devil had passed out into
the weasel, so they gave chase. The
creature ran to the top of the
hill, and the people, breathless
and excited. followed. At length
he was captured, killed and
buried. After that time the place
where the weasel was killed was called
by them "holy ground" An Inscribed
monument was erected, and it became
favorite place with Shakers for as
sembling for solemn dances and wor-
ship. The monument is broken now
and the place is polluted by stranger
feet. The inscription is forgotten and
cannot be deciphered, but the story re-
mains and the place is known in the
vicinity as "Shakers' holy ground.'
People who visit it always carry away
with them piece of the devils grave
stone as a memento. = Sp7i7lQfe}0
(lNass.) Union.
Economics Of Coal Gas.