The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1890-05-21
CURING GLOVER.
A Process That L. Not So Dimcult' A.
Some Would Imagine.


The difficulty in curing clover hay
has been greatly exaggerated, says a
writer in the Breeders Gazette. There
are three methods of handling it; the
first that of whiting it-putting it in a
tight barn and keeping the barn closed
unil it is thoroughly cured out This
method requires very tight barn, with
tight board or earth floor, and ship-lap
on the sides, no windows. doors tightly
fitting on beveled edges and kept tight
'ly closed, and ventilation only in the
roof The grass must be put in without
a particle of rain or dew. 1t packs very
closely and comes out in flakes very
bright and some of the blossoms scarce
ly discolored. Another method new in
America but practiced largely in En-
gland, is that of stack ensilage. l have
with me for the inspection OF the MEM
bers of this association a sample OF this
hay or silage taken up directly after the
mower and stacked without rolling or
compression. 1t was sent me by MIR. c.
A. Hinckley, of Galesburg, Ill, who in
response to letter of inquiry as to tho
cows opinion, writes me under date OF
February Is, as follows: "1can not give
a very favorable report on the feeding
qualities of the green-cured hay. We
found it packed very solid, hard to cut,
and very dusty. The cattle did not seem
to eat it very we'll. We made a strong
brine and wet the hay in the rack.
They ate the hay, but it lasted
IL IN N
shock. My private opinion is that
clover hay cut in the morning, raked
and cooked up in the afternoon or next
day. and left to stand three or four days
makes the best hay. The ensilage stack
is in the same field with long rick of
hay cured in the ordinary method. We
have had from twelve to fifteen colts rum
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. Clover of 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-
sential: reasonably good weather, hay
shed, and tedder 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
wi IN 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 can be
made for the money, and apart from the
convenience in curing clover will pay
Nebraska note shavers interest on the
money invested every year. It is the
only investment know of that will do
it.
1 have found it the best method to
start the mower about four o'clock in
the afternoon and NOW till shutdown,
and again in the morning as soon as
the dew is fairly we'll of. About nine
o'clock start the tedder, using fast
walking team. This will thoroughly
shake up the grass, which will be ready
to 60 into the shed about three o'clock.
This is the method adopted in curing
clover from about June 90 to July 4.
The older it 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 on wringing it with the hand no
moisture is visible on the stem it is suf-
ficiently cured and should 60 into the
shed it once if the weather be good; if
the atmosphere is muggy beware! In
putting the hay in the barn care should
be taken that none of it lies on cross
beams. Fill each bent separately and
allow it to settle by itself. If the hay
is allowed to lodge on cross timbers air
will be allowed access and there will
be danger of spontaneous combustion.
If the hay becomes very hot and steams.
and water condenses on the top in the
morning. put in load of dry straw and
put on more hay, using two or three
quarts of salt to each ton. We do not,
however, recommend clover or any
other tame hay cured in this way for
road horses.