Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-06-13
The Time for Haying.

Wnen tnere was no implement 1Or
cutting grass and clover except the
hand-scythc it was exceedingly difficult
to secure very large crops of either of
them at exactly the proper time. 1t
was necessary to commence having
early and to continue it late in the sea-
son. Some of the grass and clover was
cut before it was sufficiently mature 10
make the most or the best hay, while
some was left till long after the period
when it should have been harvested. 1t
was the practice to commence haying
at the close of the period for cultivating
corn and potatoes, and to continue cut
ting until the entire crop was secured.
Ordinarily the timothy and clover were
cut first, while the harvesting of the
wild grasses that grew on meadows was
delayed till quite late in the season.
With the introduction of labor-savinS
implements, such as the mower. tedder
horse-rake, hay loader and stacker, it
has become comparatively easy to secure
even large hay crop at the proper
time. Unfortunately too little atten-
ton has been given to the matter OF de-
termining what the proper time is to
cut the various kinds of grass and clover
to make hay. Farmers who make o
business of supplying the market with
hay naturally desire to secure the lar
gest amount possible, and to secure il
in the easiest manner. They find that
they can secure the greatest weight by
allowing timothy, which is the fashion
able grass for horsc-feeding, to Iccomt
quite ripe. The leaves do not drop of
at maturity, as is the case with som,
kinds of grasses, the stalks increase il
size and weight, and large quantit,
of seed natures. This mature gras
cures more readily than that which il
cut when it is in full bloom. 1t lose
less weight in drying. The weather il
generally more favorable for curing lat,
in the season.
When hay is to be used for feedin.
animals on the farm something beside
quantity or weight is to be taken int,
consideration. The ultimate object o
the hay is to produce flesh and fat. TIL,
grass and clover should be cut no
with reference to the greatest weight o
hay, but the greatest weight of flesh
If hay is not digestcd in the stomach o
the animals that eat it, nothing is pro
duced but manure. Observations shov
that a large part of the hay made from
mature grass and clover is wasted. |
is rejected by the animals to which it i
fed, or it passes through the stomach
without being digested. AS rule, tn
younger the animal the greater is tn
amount wasted. They can not diges
hard and tough hay as well as olde
animals can. Work horses and oxen
of which there are few in the country q
present, do better on hay made from
mature grass and clover than colts
young cattle, and mich COWS do
During the past few years the producer
of beef and mutton have turned ol
their animals at a much younger ag
than was the practice in former times
This of itself furnishes an argument il
favor of early-cut hay. Observation
made in the summer show that youn
animals refuse to eat the mature stalk
of clover, timothy, and red top. OF
servations made in the winter sho,
that they decline to eat them whe
converted into hay if they can obtai
other kinds of food. The general con
clusion to be drawn from these obsel
Bervation is that grass and clover in
tended for young stock should be Gu
sometime before the seed natures an
tho stalks become hard. If cut Mt tina
time the hay will be tender and nutr
tious. At the period of blossomin
most forage plants contain the mas
imum amount of foliage which is {
the greatest value for food next to tn
flowers themselves. Cut when most {
the blossoms are at their full siz
clover affords hay thar is relished by a
kinds of stock.
BY cutting grass and clover quite cal
ly much of the danger of lodging
prevented. 1t is easier to cut and cur
four acres of grass or clover that stan
upright than one that is lodged. Th
hay made of lodged grass and clover
generally of very poor quality. Cor
tact with the ground has caused som
of the foliage and blossoms to becom
musty, and in some cases to be covere
with dirt. The roots of the plants ar
likely to be injured by having the stalk
that spring from them lodge. Gras
and clover grown on rich land are quit
certain to lodge if their cutting is neg
lected till the seeds mature. BY cui
ting them early, two crops may be hai
vested from the same ground. The sec
ond crop will often be as large as tn
first, and will be of special value t
young animals. For forning a goot
compact sod, frequent cuttings ar
very beneficial. This is seen in tn
treatment of the lawns. The oftene
they are cut, the better is the sod pre-
duced. If it is intended to convert
meadow into pasture it is advisable !
NOW it frequently with view of NAL
ing firm sod. When it is expected t
harvest crop of clover seed the iirs
cutting should be done early in the ses
son. When all grass and clover wer
necessarily cut with the hand-scyth
two mowings OF the same field involve
much labor Now that the work {
spreading and raking as well as NOV
ing Is done by the aid of machinery Vi
amount OF manual labor is greatly :,
daeed, = caioaqo Times