Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-06-04
ABOUT HARVEST WORK.
It Should BE Done Rapidly and Tho9.
oughly and In Good season.

1t Should He Done Rapidly and Thog.
0ughly and In Good Season.
It is very important after growing
the crops to harvest them in good sea-
son. With all of the hay and small
grain crops, at least, a very few days
delay will make a considerable differ
ence in the quality of the product. 1t
Is, therefore. necessary, If the best
profits are realized. to arrange ahead SO
that when the crops are ready the work
can be pushed along as rapidly as pos
sible. Glover is usually the first crop
to harvest. and of the plants used for
hay clover requires more time to cure
than almost any other. The first is
usually cut while the weather is show
cry and before it is as hot and dry as
when timothy, redtop and millet are
cut; hence it must be left out one or
two days at least before it will do to
NOW away. Glover should be cut when
large proportion of the heads have
turned brown. If allowed to get too
ripe, not only is there loss of nutri-
ment, but a considerably greater loss
in handling, the leaves and foliage
breaking of 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 to
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. If allowed to get too ripe
the grain will bleach and will shatter
out more than if 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
be ready to cut before the oats, while
at other seasons the oats should be cut
first
If to be fed in the straw, oats will
make a better feed if they are cut be-
| fore they are fully ripe. The straw
contains more nutriment and this is the
| most economical way of feeding, es-
pecially if 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. If they
| are to be fed in the straw oats should
be moved away in the barn. They are
AIOIC W SC<Sck Uudu wheat, ana
| If 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 to use them for feed, and hence
| it is best to cut and cure and stow it
| away in manner that will secure the
best quality of feed at the lowest cost
When cut at the right stage there is a
large per cent of nutriment in the
straw, but if allowed to get too ripe
before harvesting good portion of this
| is lost.
Timothy and red-top make good hay
it 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 al
cases, if the weather is clear and
bright, timothy or red-top can be Gu,
in the morning and gathered up and
stored away in the evening, and if Gu,
at the right stage will make the bes,
of hay. The use of machinery ha.
lessened the cost of handling the hay
crop very materially, and with it ane
careful planning the work can be don,
in good season--St. Louis Republic.