The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-07-19
Moving OF Meadows.

1t is doubtful whether any single in
vention, in the way of agricultural inn
plements, has conferred a greater boon
upon the farmer than the mOwing-ma-
chine. In our younger days, when the
implements used in Avery branch OF
farm work were comparatively few and
primitive, we recollect the anxiety
caused by the approach of ebay har-
vest, and the preparations made by
good farmers to have the grass cut as
quickly as possible when it was ready
for the scythe, and the pains taken to
spread and turn it, and get it ready
for the stack as soon as possible. Then,
as now, there was a difference of opinion
as to the proper time to cut and the man.
ner of curing, but on 1.-The home place"
of our boyhood it was the rule to cut
(barring bad weather) when the grass
was well in bloom, just before the for
nation of the seed. At that period
there is a larger percentage of sugar,
starch and gluten in the stalk than at
any other time during its growth. Then
it is that nature has drawn to the plant
the materials necessary for the produc-
ton of seed, in the process of providing
for the perpetuation of any species OF
kind of plant-grOwth. The elements
named are all soluble in water, and
readily dissolved by the juices in an
animals stomach and easily assimi-
lated. If the grass stands later than
this period these elements undergo
change; the forces of the plant are
theoretically directed to the production
of seed, the stalks become woody, and
the longer they stand the less nutritious
they become. For this reason the
scythes were started in the meadows at
''the home farm" when the grass was
in full bloom; in a couple of hours ''the
reserve corps" of the place followed
with forks (mostly wooden in those
days. and turned the grass over, and it
was put into cocks later in the day. A
few days later it was put into ricks or
stacks.
AS this work came at a time when
farm labor was hard to obtain, it re-
quired, on large farms-where consider
able stock was kept-several days to
complete the work, even when there
was no interruption from rainy weather.
But this is all changed. The moving
machine, the horse-rake, the tedder, the
hay-loader, the hay-fOrk, and the car
rier make it possible to accomplish all
this work with no increase of the ordi-
nary farm force, easily, speedily and
economically.
But our object, at the outset, was t.
speak of practice which obtains among
some farmers of moving meadows too
close. This practice is not general, for
many persons understand that it is not
safe nor economical. But, as a rule,
grass is shaved too close to the sward.
Especially is it very hard on timothy to
cut too low. This plant is the general
reliance as hay crop over a vast area,
and it is often badly abused by low cut
ting. 1t is a perennial plant which re-
news itself by an annual formation of
bulbs, or, as they are sometimes not in
aptly termed, tubers. In these bulbs
the vitality of the plant is concentrated
! during the winter. On the habits of this
universal favOrite of the farmer Prof.
/ Kirkland says: TO insure a perfect de-
velopment of tubers a certain amount
of nutrition must be assimilated in the
| leaves and returned to the base of the
/ plant through the stalk. As soon as
| the process of nutrition is completed il
| becomes manifest by state of dessica-
| ton or dryness, always commencing at
| a point either above the first or second
/ Joint of the stem near the Joint of the
/ tubers. From this point the dryness
/ gradually progresses upward, the last
| portion of the stalk yielding its freshness
being that nearest the head"
with the dry appearance OF stalk ana
/ leaves near the crown of the tubers The
| process of maturing the seed of he
4 plant begins. At this stage the tubers
and heads have received the requisite
amount of nourishment and substance
| for the development of the fruit or seed,
| and the leaves and stalk have reached
the highest point of nutrition. The
| proper time for cutting timothy is just
at this stage. 1t is important to gauge
| the moving machine sufficiently high to
| cut the timothy above the second joint
from the tubers, or bulb; and this is,
in fact, the only safe course to adopt.
1 for if cut closer, in the event of hot and
| dry weather, serious injury, if not the
entire destruction of the meadow viii
/ follow.
In any case, whatever the kind of
grass may be, close moving of upland
meadows is unwise. Wet lands Will of
course, bear closer moving. - rGir5s
/ Farmer