Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-08-21
m. VAIN. on ,be ma, Crop.


The chief dependence of farmers for the
coarse food Of animals during winter is the
hay crop. This is supplemented with corn
fodder, dried fodder corn, ensilage, and vari-
GUS root crops, with an allowance Of grain
The farmer who could not at the beginning
of winter show something Of NOV Of hay
would be considered destitute of one of the
essentials in winter feeding.
Hay is valuable to farmer according ~
its measure of nutriment is greater or less.
This may depend upon the character of the
grass itself, or upon the time Of its being cut,
or upon the manner of curing.
Poor hay, from any cause, is very poor fod-
der. But grass of second quality even, we'll
cured, and cut In season, may be more valua-
BILE for feeding purposes than grass of the
best natural quality cut late, when changed
to woody fiber, or that Injured in the curing
Farmers, as q class, are coming to learn that,
all things considered, early cut grass makes
the best hay IL is relished better and pro-
duces better condition Of the animal. Not
that the cutting should be carried to the ex-
treme of cutting too soon, but at the point
when the plant seems to have arrived at
it's full development and is we'll stored with
rich, nutritious iuicos. When thus cut and
properly cured, the product-the resulting
hay-will be possessed of rich fragrance
that ia always wanting in grass that has ma
tured its seed before being out.
IL grass can be cut without dew or moist
ure It's we'll but such a condition is hardly
possible, so that the point to be observed is
TO avoid az much as possible the cutting when
very wet for the reason that sometimes a hot
sun will dry too much some portions before
the moisture can be removed from others. In
curing hay the desire should not be to &C.
cure absolute dryness, in the same sense that
4. !. - a. 1. -
dryness az will insure its safe keeping in the
NOW. Drying hay too much has almost as
bad an effect az il would have to allow it TO
stand too late before cutting in either case
the hay becomes dry, harsh and indigestible,
and a substance that is indgestible aud inca.
pable of being assimiated by the animal
frame is OF poor feeding value.
Ordinarily hay that is dried of any exteri.
or moisture and which is thoroughly wilted
is in q condition to be put in the NOV, il
placed there at the proper time. Hay may
be thoroughly dried, in fact so thoroughly as
TO be injured, as above indicated, and then
be additionally injured by being unseasona
bly, carted. Hay of the very best natural
quality may be reduced to an almost worth
less condition by being carted long after the
dew begins to fall. farmer may occasion
ally be driven to this extremity, but if he is
must expect musty hay to come from his
NOV.
As before stated, let the grass be dried of
all external moisture, we'll wilted, and carted
and placed in the NOV during the heat of the
day, before the dew begins to fall, and cattle
will enjoy feeding upon il but lot it remain
until nearly shutdown, or after, until the dew
has fallen so that dampness pervades the en-
tire mass, and, although cattle may make a
virtue of necessity-eat it because they are
compelled to-they will be very unlikely to
accumulate very much fat by the operation
Neither does the proper curing of hay re-
quire of necessity warm sunshine il the
atmosphere is reasonably dry and charged
with heat, hay will cure. As good hay az
WAS ever placed in NOV has been cured
without the aid of the sun. When cured In
this way it is more likely to retain its green
color, but this ia not essential to quality hey
Of the richest fragrance is frequently changed
in color, by means of a natural chemical ao-
ton, to sort Of brown, and yet retains all
its aroma to the fullest extent, which is not
the case with hay improperly cured, or of
poor quality.
Feeding, however is the real test, and
when au animal gradually falls of in oondi-
ton, by feeding average rations it is pretty
| good evidence that either the hay was origin.
ally of poor quality or else it's quality dete-
riorated in the process of curing or of cart
| ing. Too great care cannot be taken in the
saving of food for animals because it be-
comes in the end a matter of dollars and
cents to the owner of the same. - William H.
IeomdnS Columbia, Conn IN Mirror d
| Farmer.