The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-06-24
Agricultural.


Clover has made heavy growth this
year. on rich newly seeded helds and The
proportion il 20 large that hsying will
uecd 10 begin when that Is 10 condition,
without usiiing for the later timothy aud
rod top TO complete their growth. II cut
ting is delayed Ill the timothy comes In
bloom. the clover will have lost the eres,or
part Of its value. Clover should be cut
sbsu 10 bloom. usually in the early stages
VI blooming, for The sooner u IL cut alter
Sufficiently grown the more completely can
the foliage be preserved. II. u lodges
badly IL msy be necessary 10 put in the
scythe even before the blooming stage. fort
lodged clover is damaging TO the o. her
grasses and generally rcts Of the bottom
about as fAst as il improves at the top. II
is difficult drying very green clover and
the hay Is Of inferior quality, much like
immature corn fodder. which Is more
watery than at the ripe stage. when the
water has become thickened with sugar
and starch. There are two good ways OF
curing clover aud at least one poor way.
To cut when overripe and then dry thor
oughIy, so that the leaves and heads will
nearly all be brokenloff in the handling.
though not uncommon, is very poor way
Of harvesting this crop, for there is little
10 carry to.the barn except dry stems tina
cattle viii most likely refuse to eat A
better way. when the weather is doubtful
aud one would hurry the work as much as
possible, is " cut then the dew is of and
before many OF the blossoms turn, then
stir tho swarths often and dry as fast ss
possible till the leaves begin to break.
when IL shouh be put into cocks to stand
over night, AID II the weather bids fair,
another day AID night. The next forenoon
turn the cocks over and separate little to
Jet the air in. After . couple Of hours
load up and stow away in the barn, tread
ing down as sdid as possible.
A still better way is to cut as before.
when the dew is of, let the swarths re-
main untouched for the stalks TO evaporate
what sap they will through the leaves dur.
ing the day. just before night pitch the
swarths into small heaps, not large enough
to heat, and leave them till the next morn |
ing or afternoon when two heaps may be
pitched into ONT This stirs and let's in
fresh air to gradually absorb the moisture
The next day double up the cocks again |
and continue to 10 SO till they are cured
sufficiently to Gait in. In this way the
sun comes to blu, a small portion Of the
clover during the curing process and the
leaves are moi. drhd and broken of badly |
before the stems. are cured. Glover can
be made in this way in fair weather that
will retain its green color. and the blossoms
will. be red and q sweet with honey as
the day. the crop vas cut; it is needless to
say that the catteEwill eat such clover
with great relish. 1t is well to have
hay caps to throwover the cocks to keep
of showers or dew, but in steady fair
weather their use will scarcely pay for the
trouble and time required.
Allow no needless, delay in curing the
crop for the new growth comes along
rapidly and is sften injured by trsmping
and by the helps standing long in the
same spot-Nee England Farmer.