The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-09-03
When Grass Should be Cut,

When GraSS Should be Uut,
While farmers have settled down
to the opinion that grass should be
cut earlier than it was cut in their
grandfather's day, there is yet a
question as to how much earlier
while some advocate cutting as
soon as the earliest blossoms ap-
pear, others claim that it is best to
let il stand until the seed begin to
form, There are so many things to
be considered, that vary on differ
ent farms, that difference of opinion
is to be expected. When only one
crop of grass is to be cut, under
ordinary circumstances it is better
to let the crop stand until it is fully
grown; but if there is a prospect of
getting a second, and perhaps a
third crop, it is not as much con-
sequence whether the first crop is
fully grown or not; in fact, if per
mItted to stand until the seed is
matured, or even half matured, it
will very materially injure the sec
ond crop, for as soon as the seed
begins to form the leaves at the
root begin to fail, so that when the
crop is harvested the roots are
exposed to the hot sun, and it will
be sometime before the second crop
will start; but if the crop be cut be-
fore fully in blossom, as a rule, the
lower leaves will be green, so that
when the top is cut off there will be
leavess enough to protect the roots,
and thus cause the second crop to
start at once, though no showers
come to wet the ground.
When the hay is to be fed out
TO milch cows, it may be cut to adj
vantage earlier than if it be wanted
for horses and oxen.
The time of cutting may also de
pend on the character of the soil;
a gravelly knoll will sometimes dry
up before the grass is fully grown,
and if it is to be saved it must be
cut early; or the land may be very
rich, and the weather SO wet, that
before fully matured the grass will
lodge and the bottom begin to de-
cay before the blossoms appear;
under such circumstances it is de-
cidedly the best way to cut it, how
ever green it may be, for if it is
not cut the bottom will decay so
much that it will very much injure
the roots, besides the hay will be
very poor quality.
In consequence Of these differ
ent conditions no rule can be laid
down, as to the best time to cut
grass; but every farmer must use
his own judgment as to when is the
best time TO cut each field of grass
on the farm, remembering that un-
der ordinary circumstances the
best time to cut grass is when the
largest proportion of it is in full
bloom.
The curing of hay is an opera
tion which farmers do not agree on.
While some insist that it is best to
make it as fast as possible and SC
keep it in the sunshine most Of the
time, others say that the curiBg OF
hay should be slow process, and
that it should be made in the shade
as much as possible. The first
argue that it should be made as
rapidly as possible because of the
risk Of getting it wet, while the
last Argue that it is impossible to
make hay rapidly in the sun and
Aaye it to come out sweet, especially
if the grass be coarse; they contend
that by keeping it in the sun all
the time possible, it dries the out
side of the stalk so hard that the
moisture inside cannot escape until
it is packed away in the barn, when
it softens and 'the moisture comes
to the surface and thus makes
smoky hay. No doubt this is true
of very coarse hay, and especially
of clover; this should never be
made in the sun, but should be
cooked up the same day it is cut,
and never thinly spread out again !;
it makes much better hay to let it
stand in cocks OF forty pounds
each: when it is found to be heat
ing it should be reeocked; if the
weather be good once will be
enough, but if it be showery it will
have to be recocked after each rain.
In making clover hay il is best to
have hay caps to cover it, then it
can be cured so the blossoms will
look fresh and bright in midwinter.
Much of the fine hay may be
made rapidly in the sunshine by
the aid of the tedder, and come out
perfectly sweet the next winter
made thus, it save much labor and
risk of getting it wet.-PlOughman.