St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-12-11
HAY MAKING IN LOUISIANA.

HAY MAKING IN LOUISIANA
i A correspondent OF the Times
Democrat, says: / called upor
Msssrs. Maund aud Morse. OF Jsn.
nings. WHO have this season eul
some 200 tons Of No. l hay. Re.
lieving that every we'll wisher oil
the State is interested in the sue
cess of this tfor the State) new in
dnstry, ] will give my interview
with Mr.. Maund. That gentleman
said:
Il came to Jennings in March,
1885, looked about me for some
thing to do. add seeing the prairie
covered ut that early stage with n
beautiful carpet of grass, after care
ful inquiry determined to 90 into
the hay business. l cut some 70
tons aud shipped to New Orleans
about so tons. The freight and
terminal charges took from IS to
90 per cent. OF the gross amount of
sales. aud l allowed the balance to
rot for fertilizer. This experience,
however, did not discourage me.
The hay sold at New Orleans at
from 50 to $ll per ton. q price am
pie to make a paying business, if
the freight and terminal charges
were placed at reasonable figures,
and l trusted to the good sense
and the mutual interest of the rail-
roads, business men and consumers
to correct this trouble, and my ex-
pectations have been realized in
part. The railroad company has
taken off SIS per Car load on the
freight. and, through the exertions
of the Times Democrat aud Com.
missioner Harris, small rebate
has been made by the city e. eigher. |
1t Is my opinion that further re-
auctions will be made. As soon as
the fact is clearly demonstrated
that Southern Louisiana will read
lily furnish millions of tons of the
best hay that is grown in the State.
public sentiment will demand and
receive such rebates as will place
this new industry on u living basis.
"Our plant. press. stacking and
moving machine cost ne abou,
5000. We use six men and four
Creole ponies when running all of
The machinery; fol pressing nlou.
We use three men and one pair OF
ponies. Our daily average 10 from
sight to ten tons, more or less. NC
cor,ting to the weather. In all VT
have cut some 200 tons, or rather
expect to press out that much. ~
here is some waste. We do not
nclue that in our estimate. W..
have sold 40 tons ut So per ton on
board the cars vt Jennings, which
nets us $ll2O. After paying for
'ur plant $4,000 we have $500 and
sixty tons Of hay left to pay for our
abor and rent of our land. Will.
'ur ontiit We could make fair wages
It from 81 So to IS, at any dis
ance not exceeding three miles
rom the station.
Il have had some experience in
'utting hay in Iowa, and find tina,
We can cut AMI halo bay 40 cheap
lere rs We can in Iowa. There the
'pland hay. as a rule, is the only
'ay shipped. aud that takes from
wo to three acres for u ton; that is
he average land aud season. Ours I
'ere has averaged about one and
ne-qnarter tons per acre. aud this
eason. owing to tue drouth in /,
Ipril and May. the hay crop was .
ght. Then, again, we eau cut hay !
rom July to November. not being |
in time. When We get
ar barn and bay sheds built. We
an do our work at our leisure !
he climate has but little effect upon |
nr help, for our work is all done s
Y machinery. and. excepting one I
ian, the stacker. all could be done -
arrying a sunshade.
Il place no value whatever on il
10 official weighing aud inspec- '
on, as practlced at New Orleans. =
IN nearly all cases baled hay il Il
iipped by the car or boat load, y
I'd is as rule weighed aud mark I
as it comes from the press. No
'reful business man would guess
car or boat load of hay. Mon u
ho buy to feed or sell in most "
lses consider themselves the best NJ