The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-06-12

% should Be bone Rapidly and Thou
oughIy and In Good kcason.


oughIy and In Good season.
II Is very important after growing
the crops 70 harvest them In good sea-
son. With all Of the hay and small
grain crops, At least. very few days
delay will make considerable differ
encc In the quality Of the product. II
- therefore. necessary. II the best
profits are realized. 10 arrange ahead so
that when the crops are ready the work
can be pushed along as rapidly as pos
sible- Clover Is usually the first crop
70 harvest and of the plants used for
hay clover requires more time 10 cure
than almost any other. The first is
usually cut while the weather is Show
cry and before Il Is as hot and dry as
when timothy, redtop and millct are
cut; hence II must be left out one or
two days al least before II will do to
NOW away. Clover should be cut when
large proportion Of the heads have
turned brown. II allowed 70 get too
ripe. not only Is there a loss Of nutri-
mcnt, but considerably greater loss
In handling. the leaves and foliage
breaking off in handling. So far as is
possible, clover should be cut and stored
away without getting wet. and sup
ply OF hay caps can often be used 10
good advantage with this crop.
Wheat is generally the next crop TO
harvest after clover. The best stage
for cutting Is Just after the seed begins
to harden. II allowed to get too ripe
the grain will bleach and will shattcr
out more than II cut earlier. Wheat
can be bound and shocked as fast as
cut. and needs but little curing until
ready for the stack. Care should be
taken in shocking and stacking to keep
as dry as possible and get into the
stack in good condition.
Sometimes the timothy meadow will
De ready to cut before the oats. while
at other seasons the oats should be cut
first
Ii TO be fed in the straw. oats will
make better feed if they arc cut be-
fore they are fully ripe. The straw
contains more nutriment and this is the
most economical way of feeding, cs-
pecially IL cutter can be used.
Oats should be put up in small
shocks so as to cure out well. and will
generally need to stand several days
before they can be hauled in. II they
are 70 be fed in the straw oats should
be moved away in the barn. They are
more difficult to stack than wheat. and
IL they are to be fed out. putting in the
stables or barn will often save one
handling. With the western farmer at
least the principal profit in growing
oats is 70 use them for feed. and hence
IL is best to cut and cure and stow il
away in manner that will secure the
best quality Of feed at the lowest cost.
When cut at the right stage there is q
large per cent Of nutrinent in the
straw, but II allowed to get too ripe
before harvesting good portion of this
is lost.
Timothy and red-top make good hay
IL cut in good season. In fact. timothy
is considered the very best for hay, es-
pecially for horses. Of any grown on
the farm. They should be cut just
after the plants are in full bloom and
before the seeds form. In nearly all
cases. If the weather is clear and
bright, timothy or rcd-top can be cut
in the morning and gathered up and
stored away in the evening, and II cut
at the right stage will make the best
of hay. The use Of machinery has
lessened the cost Of handling the hay
crop very materially, and with it and
careful planning the work can be done
in good season. Lonis Republic.