The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-08-27
Cutting and Curing Hay.

| AS we have frequently remarked, ouI
custom is to cut grass just before the
heads begin to, turn, brown, before the
seed is ripened., If cut much before
| this it contains too much water, and is
consequently less nutritious, and if cut
later it will have too much woody fiber,
and consequently is less digestible. In
! the process. of tripening the seed, too,
| there is a heavy drain upon the nutritious
! elements of the plant which center in
the ripened seed to AVERY large extent,
| and it is also eXhausting to the soil. Ii
| any of ourreaders, therefore, have failed
| to comply with these rules, they will
| find it to their advantage TO do SO in the
future. The hay crop of the country is
such valuable. element in our farm
production that the utmost care should
be exercised in preserving it in the best
manner. 1t is altogether probable that
the vast Importance of this crop is but
imperfectly appreciated! Naturally it
is regarded as valuable, but that there
is an absolute universal realization that
it is the basis of successful farming, and
one of the leading crops, is doubtful
But few years back, it is very certain
that there was not even an approach to
such realization, the careless manner
of saving the crop being one of the best
evidences of the fact. In the North,
however, there has been the most graft
flying progress in this direction, and in
the South even, where. climate and a
different system of farming has naturally
made some difference, there has b5eptof
late years growing appreciation OF the
value of grass and hay. H
There is much room forimpr@ement,
however, in our method-tslng the
country as a whole-both as 10 culture
and to cutting and curing. There are
variety of little implemehts)nd 1nstfu-
ments which are eXeeedingh useful IN
different branches of agriculture, but
which many farmers are einer careless,
about possessing, or are ipredulous as
to their utility. Now we al know that
fair weather is desirable fir curing hay,
and while it may not be asolutely with
in our power to defnitey forecast the
weather, q barometer arl thermometer
will materially aid us, an we should be
in possession ofthem. Not any of the
many cheap and goodfor-nothing in
struments which are gt up for the ex-,
press purpose of swindlng farmers, but
reliable instruments. good barometer
will indicate pretty Clearly the conditions
of the weather for twenty -four, hours
ahead, at least it will of probabili-
ties. Careful study d the skies and at
mosphere will be tseful, and while a
large number of ffrmers have made
these in their severa localities study,
until they can veE accurately predict
the conditions of tie weather, all have
not. In few words, the farmer should
always be a close STUDENT of nature and
his surroundings. '.......;..
% Having done the best that may be
in forecasting the weather, do not at
tempt to do too much in the field at one
time, cutting only what grass you have
facilities for handling in reasonable
time. Dry as rapidly as possible. The
degree of drying will materially affect
the quality of the hay. IS Years ago hay
was dried much more thoroughly than
now, and while too little drying is worse
than an excess, the present mode Of
drying just enough to insure its keeping
well is vast Improvement. All the dV-
ing which is not necessary to its keeping
sweet and bright is a detriment to
the hay. just before a rain is the best
time for the process of drying, for then
all the dampness is drawn out of the at.
mosphere, and the drying will be very
speedily accomplished. We might re-
mark in this connection that an abso-
lutely clear day is more certain fore
runner of storm than partially cloudy
day is, and is something that is not al
ways understood If cabbages, and 9th.
er plants are seen to be in a wilted con-
dition, a storm may be fairly predicted.
Hay should be placed under cover in
storage. If there is not room in the
barn for it, sheds should be erected for
the purpose. 1t will pay to take this
little extra trouble and to incurr this
trihing extra expense. But if we have
not such conveniences, we must do the
next best thing, and stack it. This
should be carefully done, and necessi-
tates experience, which should invari-
ably be employed. If it should be
found necessary to put the hay in cocks
in the field, it should be covered with
canvas, which we would say in answer
to a correspondent, and for general in
formation, is a good thing, and should
be in more general use than. it isl
Western Rur0t. Il gnl ,fssp las; 7a yrf
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