The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-05-24
Baltimore and YOU will find that Cecil Co.

Baltimore and you will find that Cecil Co.
hay sells for from three to five dollars
per ton more than hay from any other Sec
ton, and always in demand, even when the
hay market is quoted depressed. Why is
it {? Simply because the farmers of that
county bestOW care and attention in cut
ting, curing and putting their crop away.
! The greatest trouble with our farmers is,
they don't cut their hay soon enough, and
after cutting allow it to bleach in the sun
too long before putting in stack. Where
the hay is mixed Timothy and clOver),
and the timothy predominates, they allow
it to stand until they think the timothy is
IN the right condition, which, with most
OF them) is long after the bloom has fallen
! OFF, at which time the clover has ripened
and turned black, giving a dark and unat
tractlve appearance to the whole lot. Mix
ed hay should be cut just when the clover
heads are beginning to turn brown. AT
That time the timothy will be in full head.
1t should be put into small cocks as soon
as II can be shaken up and all artificial
moisture removed tits own sap won't spoil
it,. \ on will then find that it will retain
a bright green and attractive appearance,
and be more nutritious and, (if not more
than e-half clover, sell at timothy prices.
When the hay is all timothy Tor nearly so)
l think the time to begin cutting is when
it is in full bloom, so if you have a large
lot you can get it up before the bloom has
fallen off. Put it up as fast after the NOV
Ell as you can without dampness from dew
or rain, putting it in hay cocks land into ricks
the day after it is cut. say put into ricks
because l have found that the hay keeps
more moist and pliable in ricks and weighs
better than in stacks | know it is the
DRY of many that hay will make more bulk
to the acre if cut just as the seed is forming
ing, be more valuable as a feed, but / don't
believe it even if it was so, we all know
that after the seed begins to form the
blades land especially the lower blades, turn
brown and dark, giving the hay when
baled an unstable look, so that the gain
would be more than made up by the bright
and green appearance of the early cut hay.
Our Valley hay should excel ANY hay that
goes to the Richmond markeTfOr there is as
great freedom from weeds and briars
than in any section l. know. Our soil is
peculiarly suited for the profitable cultiva-
ton of hay, and the continued moving. of
our lands is by far the best mode of free
ing them from weeds and filth of all kinds
In early cutting we destroy the weeds
before their seed is formed, and entirely
prevent it from spreading and again the
tendency of our clay lands is to pack too
hard, which is in large measure relieved
W A1Oh1io' h'lN fts5O l. IL
most impossible to buy hay, every one
holding to the old theory that to sell hay
off of the land was to impoverish it, but
now every one that has hay in excess of his
consumption is ready to see and also ready
to admit, that his land is improving under
his cropping in grass and selling the same.
l think that the shipment of hay from the
county for the last three years will amount
to an average of eight hundred tons per
year, and the average price per ton
1.-THE buyer being at all cost, was $3.50,
bringing into the county considerable
sum of money. If our people will only in
crease their carefulneSs in curing their
hay and establish areputation for the quail
ity of the same, it will prove to be one,
If not the largest source Of net profit to
every farmer. | find | am taking too much
space, so [ will close for the present.
Very truly, BLADE o. GRASS.
FIT. DEFIANCE, May 21st.