The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-06-17
WHEN TO CUT GRASS FOR HAY.


During many years Of careful observa-
ton, writes j. NJ. Trowbridge, of New
York, to the American Agriculturist, l
have noticed that grass is rarely cut for
hay at that stage of growth wnicn is
most relished by grazing stock; that the
cutting IS almost universally deferred
until it has attained a degree of maturity
which causes grazing stock, if they have
a choice, to avoid it, in their preference
for a less mature or younger stage of
growth. Everybody must have noticed
the patches in pastures where the grass
has matured, and how sedulously it is
avoided. Concurrent with this had been
the observation that great gain in flesh
n fairness, health and strength of graz
ing stock was made mainly during the
season of those stages OF growth preced-
ing the common "hayingn season, and
that stock put to grass after the matur-
ing of the crop d" tit for having" rarely
made any great gain, and never such
gain as is made when such stock are put
upon the young grasses of the early
spring. Compare o from an August
pasture with one from a pasture in early
June. See with what difference they
fill themselves! Notice the difference
with which they ill the milk pail.
Very few grazing animals on grass all
the season maintain in August the flesh
gained in June.
These facts had produced with me an
impression that earlier cutting of the
grass would be better. Just then ap-
peared, at q winter meeting of the New
York State Agricultural Society in Al
bany, q farmer from Vermont with
samples Of winter-made butter. 1t had
all the characteristics in color, in flavor,
in fragrance and other qualities of the
freshest Of May or June butter. After
unanimous approval the question was
raised, How was it produced2 What
feed is used to make spring butter in
midwinteri The maker replied that the
stock from which the butter had been
made had been kept exclusively on hay
and water. and the butter was produced
from their milk in the ordinary way no
coloring, no ~tavoring and no adjuvants
of any kind were used. At length after
much bantering aud badgering the
maker explained. 'My hay" he said,
''may differ somewhat from the ordinary
article. 1t is cut at the time when stock
seem to relish it most, and gain on it
most rapidly. l do not see why timothy
straw should be any better than oat
straw or wheat straw, and that is what
your grass becomes If you let it go too
far. l cut my grass long before it is
heading. not to say poisoning, aud as
it has then formed no seed it does not
exhaust soil. But at the same time it has
formed no fiber to be masticated and di-
gested without aTording nutrition. All
its weight then is nutriment. True, 1
do not begin to get the yield per acre
then that would be obtained by waiting
until the seeds had matured and the
stalks become wood straw; but for this
same reason the roots, still in their vigor,
send up new shoots, tiller out, and pro-
duce a second crop by the time of ordi-
nary haying. Ordinarily, / get three and
four cuttings per year where / should
obtain but one were the grass allowed 10
mature its stalk and seed, and thqse
three or four cuttings always weigh
more than the crop would weigh if mar
tured in the ordinary way"