The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-13

/ this question. Some farmers make a
practice of invariably cutting hay in
the early blossoming stage, and others
prefer cutting il later. Those who cut
early attach much Importance to feed
ing quality. Those who cut late re
much more influenced by the desire to
get greater weight. The best authorities
are not quite agreed. as to the exact
stages at which grasses and clovers
should be cut in order to secure the
maximum of food value from them
The various analyses made have not
always agreed. Nor is this surprising,
since a difference in the fertility of
soils will influence to some extent the
analysis Of plants of equal advance
mant in growth. The preponderance
of opinion, however, favors cutting
them at the early stages of free bloom.
All the food or very near all of it which
the plant will ever furnish is then found
in it, at least so it is claimed At a
more matured stage there may be more
food in certain portions of the plant,
as the head for instance, but there will
be less in other parts.
This question once settled there can
be no doubt, as to the wisdom Of har
vesting grasses at the early rather than
at the late stages of maturity. When
thus cut the fodder produced is relished
much better by the stock. They cat
more of it, and in conse quence give a
much better return for the food con
sumed, as, the greater the return
secured from an animal in a given
time, the less relatively the cost of the
food of maintenance The palatability
Of the early cured grasses may further
be turned to excellent account by cut
ting them and mixing them with Ger
tain kinds Of straw, in all sections of
the country where hay brings a good
price. The palatability of the hay
causes a greater consumption of the
other kinds of fodder than would other
wise be secured.
Early cutting is attended with less
loss than late cutting, in the curing.
w LCA1 1ACSj ID CSA4O"CN w SVCbLO AAANAA Az
is nearly ripe, the leaves falls off and
tho seeds shed to a greater or less ex
tent, and in this way a considerable
proportion of the feeding value of the
hay is lost The loss from the shedding
of leaves is much greater with the
clovers than with the grasses, and is
particularly true of lucerne Or alfalfa.
If alfalfa is allowed to get nearly ripe
before it is cut, its feeding value will in
a marked degree be lost.
In addition to the loss of leaves and
seeds, there is further loss in the in
crease of he~digestible portions of the
plants With millet, the loss from
these sources is even more than with
the grasses named.
But two advantages can be claimed
for the last cutting of grasses. The
first is the less difficulty found in curing
them, and the second is the greater
weight secured. When clover is for
instance, well matured, it will cure in
half the time, probably, that the same
would be arrived at we're it cut in early
bloom And the labor of curing it
would be much reduced. The same is
true of timothy, and indeed of all kinds
of grasses. The increased weight secured
is more than counter balanced by the
losses that have already been pointed
out
All things considered, then, it is
highly important that hay should be
cut early. When one has large acre
age to go over, it is indispensable that
he begin early, or the loss from over
ripeness in the portions that are cut
last will much more than cunter- bal
ance any less that may arise from COM
mencing the hay harvest little early.
If very showery weather prevails in
the early stages of the hay harvest it
may be well to delay cutting for time
Good hay cannot be made when moist
ure is overabundant in the clouds. If
hay must take injury either from late
harvesting or from trying to harvest in
showery weather, the latter evil would
be the greater, for in addition to the
damage to the hay there would be the
further loss the labor expended to but
little purpose in trying to cure it.
When there IS an unusual amount OF
moisture in the uncut hay when it
reaches the early blossoming stage, it
may be well to let it stand for few
days longer, owing to the difficulty of
curing it. But in ordinary seasons and
under average conditions this is not
necessary.
Whilst making the barns and sheds
ready for the stock, don't neglect to