Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-07-03
Haying.

nay tinS tiihc 10 At Hstilu WIN Tue
month Of July is ushered in the busiest
season of all the year for the farmer. The
most valuable crop on the farm, one which
far exceeds in money value that of any
other raised in Maine, is about to he bar
vested, and the nature of the crop is such
that this must be done with rapidity and
dispatch if the best results are obtained.
The farmer in harvesting his hay crop
properly, must not only work hard and
improve every hour of fair weather, but
he must exercise considerable care and
forethought. The time to cut grass is one
of the most important points which the
farmer has to consider. There is a GER
tain stage In its growth when it possesses
more OF the nutritive elements than at any
other period. and the object of the hay
maker is or should be to cut the grass at
that stage, for it is evident that when
made into hay then, it would have more
feeding value than il cut at any other
period of its growth. But there
are many different opinions held
among farmers rs to when grass
reaches this stage. Some say cut it
early; others when IT is in blossom, aud
still others when it has almost or fairly
gone to seed. Careful analysis however,
shows that the feeding value of the hay
grown on an acre of land is the greatest
the grass being cut when it is in bloom
or nearly SO. At all events, we would
not cut grass when it is ripe or past the
blooming stage. While having less feed
ing value than earlier cut hay, it is not
relished by stock, and it is with difficulty
that they can be made to eat it. There is
no small amount of satisfaction in feeding
livestock hay which they will eat with
pleasure. Grass may be likened unto
oats or any other small grain. After these
are ripe, the straw is almost worthless for
feeding purposes. So with grass, after it
is ripe and gone to seed, the straw is of
but little more value than ripe oat straw.
On the other hand, cut oats before they
have come to maturity, and they make the
very best of fodder. The same with grass
cut it in season, and you have the best of
hay. Neither should grass be cut too
early before it blossoms. To be sure,
cattle will devour il ravenously, but it
does not have the substance, the heart that
grass cut later possesses. There is
time. proper medium when grass
should be cut, neither too late nor
too early and when that time has arrived
the grass should be cut with as little de-
lay as possible.
Again In our climate grass must mostly
be cured by the heat of the sun and made
enough so that it will not damage in the
NOV. We are aware that there are some
writer's who hold that our present system
of making hay by the heat of the sun is
faulty and that it should rather be cured
for the most part in the tumble.
This latter method might be practicable
in a perfectly dry climate, but it would
not answer here where the weather is so
catching" and as the hay would have to
remain out longer than when dried by the
heat of the sun, the farmer would be likely
to lose more by getting his hay wet than
he would gam by any improvement in its
quality. Hay which remains out during
long spell of wet weather. no matter what
its degree Of dryness may have been at
the beginning, will inevitably suffer much
damage. and we remember that only last
year the hay crop was injured thousands
of dollars worth by the bad weather
which prevailed during the last three
weeks of July. Therefore it should be
the chief aim Of the farmer to cut his grass
in season, to make it when the sun shines
and to house it just as soon as its condi-
ton will allow.
Recently jury in Fayetts county, Tex,
after deCidiuu that 4 man was OusltV ~ rnr,p