Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-26

How to Make and Stack Hay-TOo Long Ex-
posture to a Burning Sun Renders the Hay
| Brittle.
The best quality of hay, everything con-
sidered, is made in dry but sunless wealth
er, with little dew, and as little handling
over as is practicable. Too long exposure
to burning sun renders the hay brittle.
and consequently some of il will be lost
ia the handling.
Glover hay, it is generally conced ed, is
best when the clover has only fairly wilt
ed before being put in the cocks, in the
meantime, to be opened two or three
times.
Experimental evidence largely favors
the idea that early forage is superior to
late cot, not only as regards its chemical
composition, but its digestibility. This
is explained by the fact that young plants
in state of active growth, contain rela-
lively more protein and less fibre than do
matured plants.
Professor Armsby, of Penn, says
on the subj ect: Three elements enter
into the problem of selecting the best
time for cutting the grasses, viz. the
quality of the fodder, its quantity aud
the amount of labor expended upon it,
While any grass is ripening a large part
of the protein and starch passes from the
leaves and stem to the seeds, which are
SO small that they are seldom mast1cated
or digested. Moreover, these arc easily
lost in curing. The hay made from fully
ripe grass is essentially straw. If only
one crop is TO be obtained the best time
for cutting is usually when the plants are
just beginning to blossom. At this time
larger crop is obtained than if cut
earlier, while the digestibility of the hay
is not materially impaired. If cut early,
there is great advantage to second
crop. In deciding which is the proper
stage of growth for cutting grass for
hay, one ought not to forget that late
growth of the plants nearly to seeding
pairs their strength. In case of red
clover, it greatly interferes with the crop
of seed which is obtained from the second
cutting.
Professor Sanborn's (of Missouri) ex-
periments in feeding hay appear to in
dictate that the value of early cut hay may
have been over estimated. He says re-
suits obtained make it appear that, not
only is the amount of nay cut from
given area larger when when cut after
bloom than when cut in bloom, but the
late cut hay is most nutritious. Profes
sor Beal, of Michigan, thinks it very
doubtful whether it is best to cut all for
age plants at the same stage of advance
ment. Most farmers, as a rule, prefer TO
cut clover when a few of the first heads
begin to turn brown. Common sense
must be used'in the matter of deciding
when each special kind of grass should be
cut. Much will depend upon the weather.
If the weather be cloudy, with fall of
rain every few hours, the grass designed
for hay must be left standing until the
atmosphere becomes dry again, no matter
at what stage of growth it may be.
Timothy is easily cured, heavy for it's
bulk, presents good appearance, anu
suffers less than many grasses when allow
ed to go to seed before cutting. Profes-
sor Sanborn believes that timothy is
worth 50 to 40 per cent. more per acre
for curing when sufficiently out of bloom
in preference to cutting in bloom or be-
fore blooming The World.