Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-07-05
"Feeding Anlmals,o Prof. Stewart

quality ofboth timothy and clover
deteriorates after fully heading out.
They are in the best condition just
before blossom. 1t will be seen that
the nutritive ratio in timothy, just
when headed out, is to 1914, and,
when nearly ripe, l tol5.3; and clio
yer, just before blossoms, is l to 81,
and when nearly ripe is to 1913.
This shows what cattle feeders must
do if they wish to retain the fatten-
ing quality of the grasses for winter
feeding. They must cut at or before
blossoms for cattle feeding. For city
market hay it may be cut somewhat
later, as horse car companies in cities
seek for a solid hay to mix with the
grain, depending almost wholly on
the grain for nutriment. If they I'M
derstood this question of alimenta-
ton, they would likewise require the
grass W UC CuI SdIll
My readers will remember that
Prof. Sanborn did not stop with
chemical analyses, but carried the
matter on to the steer, and reached
the same conclusion. The proper
time to cut for hay, he found, was
just before full bloom, the point cor
responding with the milk STAGE of
grains. This took into account, not
quality only, but quantity and quail,
ity. AT this time the quality was
better than later, while the weight
was fully as great. This fact-that
we lose nothing in weight-should
be well impressed. 1t is very easy
to believe that we lose nothing in
weight; in fact, it is strange that a
different notion should have been en-
tertained. For after the point in de-
velOpment indicated, the plant puts
very nearly all the matter it assimi.
lates into its blossoms and seeds; but
cutting as late as we do and over
curing as we do, by the time the hay
reaches the NOW and from there
reaches the steer or the railway sta
ton, the greater part of the chaff and
seed is lost. How common for the
barn floor to be covered deep with
seed and chaff?
But the seed and chaff is not thu
only loss when we allow the gras.
and clover to stand so long; we lost
a good part of the foliage-more val
liable, weight for weight, than thu
stems. When the grass or clover
has begun to lose color before it il
cut, the loss of foliage can not b.
avoided Foliage of clover is thu
most easily broken off; yet 1 have
seen timothy being put in a NOV
when the stems were about all tina
reached that place. Less than TEL
years agO-seVeral years less-I saw
a m an cutting dead timothy in Au
gust, after he had burned his GA
straw and that man did not live il
Missouri either. When we della.
cutting we not infrequently lose b,
the lodging of the grass and clover
Clover is the more apt to lodge ant
be damaged. Looking over the feel,
; it is green but when it is cut it
found that the clover in contact wit
the ground and also that near it, ha
; been much damaged.
Some fear that hay cannot be ker
if it is cut so early. This fear
grOundless. We make our hay to
I dry before we put it away. We il
sist that the sun shall burn out of
all its juiciness. Hay can be kept
; put away while it is yet green in col
l or, and there is yet considerable
moisture in it. This was Academia
t ly proved to me fifteen years age
: Through one meadow ran a strear
with low bottom along it. On tn
bottom the grass was not in flu
bloom when the field was cut, and
: was very heavy; it was not we
cured. In many punches thel
were wisps as green and moist, seen
u ingly, as when they were cut. W
& put it away nevertheless, expectin
that we should have some damage
0 hay but when we got to it in ii
1 winter it was bright and free frol
i must. The cattle enjoyed it. 1t WI
u almost pasture. 1t was not salte,
> If we would put hay away with tw
: thirds of the curing it commOnl
gets, and be far better relished.
= Adams County, Ill.