Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-06-27
Cutting Glover Early.

Cor. Country Gentleman.
Clover cutting fer this season is
over, but this same rule will apply
equally well with herdsgrass.] Ja
Some fifteen years ago, while visit
ing an uncle, 1 went with him to the
barn to prepare the feed for the
horses when they were brought from
the fields at noon. noticed that
while the hay was brought from the
NOV, it was not put in the managers.
Asking the reason of this, l was told
that the horses preferred the hay to
oats or corn, and that it was neces-
sary to withhold the hay to get them
to eat their grain ration. After the
feed>boxes were emptied, the man.
gers were filled. The hay, found
npon examination, was practically
pure red clover. Apparently it had
been cut quite early, and the heads
were yet red and the foliage dull
green. My uncle explained that he
had never had such hay before; that
extra operations building, &C. had
made it necessary for him to cut the
clover a week earlier than was his
rule, and to put it in NOW when it
had cured less than he liked, and
that when he stored it he feared it
would not keep we'll but that he had
never before had hay that animals so
much relished, or on which they had
done so well. At that time, the rule
among farmers was to cut grass
somewhat later than now. We
have improved our practice, but the
majority of farmers would do well to
90 farther in the same direction.
This experience of my uncle led
him to cut earlier, and induced us to
try early cutting. 1t is hardly neces-
sary for me to say that the results
were such that we continued to cut
early. 1t has been our practice to
cut both grass and clover little be-
fore the height of bloom-that is,
when the most forward blossoms be-
gan to turn, although the most back
ward had not colored. would rather
cut red clover, for example, while
some blossoms are yet green, than tC
wait until some blossoms are brown
The men who experiment in the
| laboratories tell us that grass and
clover should be cut for hay at the
height of bloom or just before, and
this is supported generally by the
scientifically conducted feeding eX'
periments. The results obtained in
the laboratory are not entitled to {
great deal of consideration, for ire
quently the steer gives a result diff
ferent from that predicted by thu
chemist; but in the matter of thu
time of cutting grass or clover, TIT
chemist and the steer agree. TO thu
results Obtained by such men as Profs
Henry and Sanbon, I would Civ,
much consideration; and yet NOR
: satisfactory to me is the experience
= running through fifteen or twenty
five years, of men who are larg
= feeders and determine closely wha
: feeds give the best results. When al
agree that we should cut at tn
: height Of bloom or a little before
there cannot be room for REASONABLE
doubt.
Some have an idea that the advah
l tage of early cutting is only senti
mental, that it is of the nature of tn
I practice Of Henry Ward Beechel
4 Horace Greeley.W. NJ. Evarts-farnl
t ing; others, that better quality hay j
I obtained, but at loss of quantity
containing higher percentage of MT
: tritive matter and more easily digest
n ed. Hence, from it the animals ca
: digest more nutriment; and as it
: more palatable, they are disposed t
It eat of it literally. My uncle is nc
,. the only person who has found ths
y sometimes animals prefer early-cu
= nicely-cured hay to grain. Rigf
It here we have the first two points {
e successful cattle feeding-nutritiou
It easily digested food, Of which tn
G animals will eat heartily. omak
e money out of feeding animals W
II must have strong feeding. We g,
d these advantages by early cuttin
d and often without any loss in I'll
I, o,,,Ount of Iiroctibla ,,,attor ri