Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-06-25

CI lCaTS III regard 10 Ine amount OF
drying necessary to insure the keep
ihg of hay. Experience has shown
that much less drying is necessary
than was formerly supposed to he
required especially>if the hay is put
in a 4 tight barn. If it sweats aud
heats some that need not cause alarm
for, to a limited extent, this Is no
harm.
OF course the principal object in
drying the hay is 10 get rid of the
water which, if retained undiminish-
ed, would cause fermentation under
the influence of the air and the
germs of ferment floating in it, the
secondary object is to lessen the
weight and thus lessen the cost of
handling. But the more of the wat
erV part of the grass we can retain
the more the hay will be like grass !;
and in getting rid of the water we
cannot help losing much of the deli
cate volatile scents and fiavors which
it is desirable TO retain. How quick
-Iy after grass is cut and it begins to
wilt is the air all about filled with an
escaping perfume Of new mown hay
and so long as the drying process
goes on so long will this perfume be
gwen out. Any method of preserv-
ing grass, siloing or otherwise, which
will retain all of the ingredients in
the most perfect and natural manner
Will give the best food.
Among the best farmeas the prac-
tice now is to get the hay into the
NOW or stack the day it is cut if pos
sihle. In good hay weather this can
be done with the right management.
The mower Is started in the morning
at least as soon as the dew is off and
run until IL so or II O'Clock. If the
hay is green and heavy it will be
necessary to turn or stir the hay
with forks or tedder, otherwise it
will take take too long to dry aud |
,he top will be dried to death before
he underside of the swarth is hardly
viIted. Start the rake by . p. M,
md sufficient force of teams to
laul it all in before the dew falls.
The old farmers saying: 'Iwould
'ather have pound of juice in my
lay than an ounce of water" is
worth remembering, and if it looks
ikely to rain before the hay is
hought to be sufficiently dry, start
he teams to work. Less damage
will result by beginning tco soon
han by having the partly dried hay
ret drenched with rain. If the hay
S somewhat green and heavy the
;loser it is packed in the lnow the
,etter 1t should be spread evenly
nd tramped as much as possible to
,et and keep the air out.
A practice tnat has been tried with
rood success is to mix the green hay
With some old hay or straw, putting
VI GuC SbLdW enSA OnC Va
lay, then another of straw, and so
IN until the NOW is full or the stack
The straw not only alb
orbs the moisture from the hay and
hus aids in preserving it, but it is
tself improved by this absorption of
he odors of the fresh hay, so that
took will eat the straw up clean,
vhen before they would hardly
ouch it. Here Is another proof that
matter is given off from hay
~ exposure.
The addition of salt to hay as it is
,eing put up is thought by many to
id in keepingit. 1t is doubtful if
ny amount less than what WOULD in
ure the stock does any good as
But few quarts to
he ton will improve the taste of the
lay for the stock.-Rural World.
DIR. R. BUTLER, Master of Arts,