The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-05-30

some Would Imsgine.
Tho difficulty In curing clover hay
has been greatly exaggerated. says 1
writer In the breeders Gazette. There
are three methods Of handling IL; tho
hrst that Of whiting i~t-putting II in !
tight barn and keeping the barn closed
unil IL Is thoroughly cured out This
method requires a very tight barn. with
tight board or earth floor. and ship-lap
on the sides. no windows, doors tightly
fitting on bevelcd edges and kept tight
ly closed, and ventilation only in the
ROOT. The grass must DO put In without
a particle Of rain or dew. II packs very
closely and comes out IN flakes very
bright and some OF the blossoms scarce
~ discolored. Another method new IN
America but practiced largely in En-.
gland, Is h a Of stack cnsilage. / have
with me for the inspection OF the men,
bers Of this association a sample OF this
hay or silage taken up directly after the
move and stacked without rolling or
compression. 1t was sent me BY Mr.. c.
A. Hinckley. OF Galcsburg. ILL.,, who In
response to a letter OF inquiry as to the
cows opinion, writes me under date Of
February Is. as follows: "Icann not rive
= very favorable report on the feeding
qualities OF the g~rccn-curcd hay. We
found II packed very solid, hard TO cut,
and very dusty. The cattle did not seem
10 eat II very we'll. We made a strong
brine and wet he hay in the rack.
They ate the hay. but it lasted
longer than the clover cured in the
shock. My private opinion is that
clover hay cut in the morning, rakcd
and cooked up in the afternoon or next
day, and left TO stand three or four DAYS
makes the best hay. The ensilagc stack
Is In the same field with a long rick OF
hay cured in the ordinary method. We
have had from twelve 70 fifteen colts run.
ningin the lot all the fall and winter.
They have not eaten much OF the ensi.
lage stack
This method Is worthy OF further ex-
Fermentation, but l think will be
found profitable only in catchy weather
when clover Is almost certain to be
more or less damaged. Clovcrof course
can be used as ordinary silage, but corn
is cheaper. There should be ordinarily
but little difficulty in curing clover in
the usual way. Three things are es.
scntial: reasonably good weather, . hay
shed, and a teddcr when the crop Is cut
early and Is over two tons per acre. The
first Is not under mans control; the
second and third are. A hay shed made
OF poles or dimension stuff set in the
ground, about thirteen feet apart rooted
with boards and boarded down about
five feet. with sheds on three sides for
cattle and other stock makes the best
barn, shed and manure cover that a be
made for the money, and apart from the
convenience in curing clover will pay q
Nebraska note shaver's interest on the
money invested every year. II il the
only investment ! know OF that will dc
II.
/ have found II the best method to
start the mower about four o'cloc OK in
the afternoon and NOW till shutdown.
and again In the morning rs soon as
the dew Is fairly we'll on. About nine
o'clock start the teddcr, using : fast.
walking team. This will thoroughly
~ tHU khoo.s WHICH Will W ~ Nv
TO go into the shed about three o'clock.
This is the method adopted in curing
clover from about june 20 to July 1.
The older IL gets after this the less time
Is required for curing. the less valuable
the hay and the less chance for : seed
crop. When the grass is so far cured
that IN wringing II with the hand no
moisture is visible on the stem IL Is SUI
ficiently cured and should go into tho
shed IL once IL the weather be good; II
the atmosphere is muggy beware, In
putting tho hay in the barn care should
be taken that none OF IL lies on cross
beams. Fill each bent separately and
allow IL 10 settle BY itself If the hay
is allowed q lodge on cross timbers air
will be allowed access and there will
be danger Of spontaneous combustion.
II the hay becomes very hot and steamS
and water condcnses on the top in the
morning. put in a load Of dry straw and
put on more hay, using tive or three
quarts OF salt 70 each ton. We do not,
however. recommend clover or any
tame hay cured in this way for
road horses.