News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-07-26
THE HAY MAKERS.
How to Make and Stack Hay-Too
Long Exposure Renders 1t Brittle.

The best quality of hoy, everything
considered, is made in dry but sunless
weather, 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 it will be lost in the handling.
Glover hay, it is generally conceded,
is best when the clover was only fairly
wilted before being put in the cock,
there to remain a few days, the cocks in
the meantime to be opened two or three
times.
Experimental evidence largely favors
the idea that early cut forage is superior
to late cut, not only as regards its chem
ical composition, but its digestibility.
This is explained by the fact that young
plants, in a state of active growth, con-
tain relatively more protein and less
fibre than do matured plants.
Professor Armsby, of Wisconsin, says
on the subject: Three elements enter
into the problem of selecting the best
time for cutting the grasses, viz, the
quality of the fodder, It's quantity and
the amount of labor expended upon it.
While any grass is ripening large part
of the protein and starch passes from
the leaves and stem to the seeds, which
are so small that they are seldom masti-
Gated or digested. Moreover, these are
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 digestibil-
ity of the hay is not materially impaired.
If cut early there is a great advantage to
second crop. In deciding which is
the proper stage of the growth for cut
ting grass for hay, one ought not to for
get that late growth of the plants near
ly to seeding impairs 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 overestimated. He saws
results obtained make it appear that,
not only is the amount of hay cut from
a given area larger when cut after bloom
than when cut in bloom, but the late cut
hay is most nutritious. Professor Beal
of Michigan thinks it very doubtful
it is best to cut and forage
plants at the same stage of development.
Most farmers, as rule, prefer to cut
clover when few of the first heads be-
gin 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
y fall of rain every few hours, the grass
Il o CrI1nI for hoJr la Loft
until the atmosphere becomes dry again,
no matter at what stage of growth it may
be,
Timothy hay is easily cured, heavy for
its bulk, presents a good appearance,
and suffers less than many grasses when
allowed to go to seed before cutting. !
Professor Sanborn believes that timothy |
is worth 80 to 40 per cent. more per acre
for cutting when sufficiently out of bloom
in preference to cutting in bloom or be-
fore blOOminp