Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-09
Clover HaV.

clover hay.
Probably the safest time for begin
ning 10 cut clover for hay is when the
first blossoms begin to turn brown. as
al this time most Of the field will be In
bloom. Many recommend waiting
until about one-third of the blossoms
have begun 10 turn. and II good wealth
CT could be insured that would proba.
by be the most profitable stage. but as
this class OF fodder requires much
more curing than herdsgrass and red
top, if the field is large and the wealth
or ''cat ching" when the cutting Is de-
ferred until one-third of the heads are
brown. il is liable to become SO ripo
before all can be secured as TO contain
so large a proportion Of indigestlbls
woody fibre as to greatly lessen its
feeding value, although greater bulk
will be obtained.
A good supply OF hay caps Is indis.
pensable TO every owner of hay farm,
and these should be in readiness be.
fore beginning to cut the grass. Where
the growth of clover is so rank as to
average from one and one-half to three
tons of cured hay TO the acre it will DO
best not to start the mower or scythe
in the morning until the dew is off the
grass, and care should be used to cut
down no more at any one time than
can be got up and hauled to good adj
vantage. If laid in swaths with
scy thes it should be spread at once
and directly after dinner should DO
turned If cut with machine the
tedder shoUid be put at work upon it
after it has lain two or three hours. and
continued until it is raked and put in
small cocks averaging not more than
forty or fifty pounds each.
This should be done while the grass
is hot, with the sun shining brightly.
and the caps all be put on before the
dew begins to fall. If the following
day is fair the caps should be removed
in the morning, and directly after dim
Aer it should be cooked over, taking
small forkfuls so as to expose it TO the
air and the first forkful from the top
of each cock should be inverted so as
to place the dryest lock next the
ground. PIT the caps on at night be-
fore the dew begins to fall, and re
move them early in the morning when
the weather is fair Continue in this
way until cured. which will take from
three TO four days of fine weather.
Haul to the barn in the middle of hot
sunny day.
1t is an excellent plan to have
quantity of straw or old hay on a head
scafold, and after placing layer Of
new hay two or three feet in depth
over the NOW throw over thin layer
of dry fodder from the scatfold, SO rs
to absorb the moisture and prevent
heating in the NOW. Glover cured in
this manner will retain most of its
leaves and make excellent fodder for
all kinds of stock. Should q rain
storm come up before the clover is suf-
iicIently cured two of the small cocks
can be placed together all over the
field, thus reducing the number OF hay
caps one-half, and also reducing the
surface of hay exposed to the
weather around the bottom of the
punches
Great care should be used to havo
the hay perfectly free from dew or rain
when put into the NOW. as single
load of wet hay thrown into bay
may cause great injury by heating to
several tons of that which is well cured
and put in later. 1t requires good
judgment, aided with considerable
practice, to know just when hay is
suitable to put into the barn. for if
dried too much in the hot SUN it loses
some of its nutritious qualities
PTJeticaL Farmer.