The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1894-08-11

Now, then, "HOW to Cnre' the
crop. l agree with Mr.. Foster, that
the best time for moving grass OK
other forage is late IN the afternoon.
The grass Will then fall upon dry !,
and warm ground, and the dew can
only fall on top of the grass, the .
groun | remaining dry and warm, be-
ing protected by the grass; and then
the grass will more readily and more
evenly cure as soon as the sun has ,
evaporated the dew the next mOril-
ing. However, when one has great
quantity of hay to cut, 1t is best to
begin moving in the morning as soon
as the ground has dried off, and keep
on until dark. GA well prepared
ground, with no obstruction to the
mower, I haye often four horses
hitched to the machine SO that the
latter may be run as fast as possible,
and thereby cut the largest amount Of
hay in the time as possible. As soon
as the grass has wilted on top | run
hay tedder through it, which turns
it upside down, and loosens it very
efficiently, so that the air and sun
can penetrate the whole mass thor
oughly. At noon, or soon after, l
run this machine through the now
half cured hay once more, and then
let it lie till late in the afternoon,
saw o'clock. On a fair sunny day
the hay will now be ready to go into
the rick. | disagree with Mr.. Foster
as to the time it requires to prepare
the hay for the stack. and maintain
that the quicker you cure your grass
and the sooner you remove 1t from
the influences of the atmosphere and
light the better Will be your nay
Mr.. Foster-"I would like to ask
MIR. Mayer to explain the heating OF
, the haydn the rick, and why it does
', not spoil? I could never understand
. the process. When | put my hanc
in the stack and feel that at arm
:, length it is as hot as boiling water
feel like tearing the stack down tol
fear the whole thing will catch OF
fire. What must do in such a case?'
q Leaye it alone. Don't tear thu
stack down until it burns. If you
IS wish you may stick thermomete
T into the stack and observe the heat
4 When it reaches the point of spon
!. taneons combustion then you ma
IS tear your stack down, but you vii
3 hardly ever get chance to do thai
,s In answer to the question, why hea
70 is evolved in the newly built ha
If stack, and why the ferGnenting hay
Is not spoiled, will say that both ar
re to be attributed to the action of ba'
3 terra. When the hay is putnp In tn
10 stack it still contains a large amour
e of por;shahla matter, bt sides waite
., The temperature of the hay and II
N presence of moisture and organ
I,e matter in the hay stack are favorab
IN to the action and propagation of II
N ferlnent bacteria. These bacter
he rapidly multiply in enormous nur
Of bers and begin in their mission
assimilating and digesting the easl
he perishable substances contained
at hay. Through the presence of the
" bacteria, j. o. through their action
oh assimilation and digestion the tel
wv pe1ature of the whole mass is rails
ba and maintained until all that Won
,es spoil the hay has been removed
Of the bacteria, whence they will peri
DIV for the want of food. Now the sta
mr. cools off, aud the hay is cured, rea
nd for the press and in the best con
rse ton for feeding it to stock.
md To continue the cnriug of hay,
the the afternoon then, abOnt "a ho1
to after moving, during fair wealth
as I begin stacking. | concentr'
to all available force to this work 4
JOS endsavor to accomplish as much
a possible before dark. All this IL
nee the hay rake is kept busy raking
orse the cured hay into wind rows l
nlar gang of laborers follow this |
|, of chine, piling the hay up in moo
if ate)y large cocks, not too large.
not wagons haul these cocks up and
,uly hay is carefully spread on q platte
bors built of slabs or refuse lumber,
too poles or branches) which forms
soil; foundation of the hay stack or
row II possible the stack should be