The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-07-05
DARN ERS| <-
Short Talks with the Men who
Guide the Plow

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is demanded to make hay of ordinary
grasses. The same is true of clover, lu-
cerne, and particularly of forage corn
sorghum. etc; yet many millions of tons
of hay are annually made from red clover.
forage corn ana other plants of which II is
Just as difficult to make good hay, or more
so. After oil the weather is the most i'm
portant factor; there is no difficulty ut all
ii provided there be three or four days Of
hot sunshine; and these are very apt to Oc-
cur n August and September.
l. As TO the proper time TO cut the vines.
The earlier the vines are cut the more sue
culent they are and the longer the time
required 20 cure them; but they are less
disposed TO shed the leaves In handling.
But cut before full bloom. the hay will not
be rich and nutritious. As n general
rule the best time to NOW is when tie
vines are in fun bloom ana when there
are a few full grown pods (but not dry TO
be seen here and there. When the leaves
have commenced to turn yellow and drop
off il is an indication that the proper time
FOR moving has passed.
.. Wait until the dew Is om-never cut
when the vines are at all wet. Start the
mower about a. m, and let 1t run until
noon. ard then stop for the day. Late in
the afternoon cake up the cut vines into
sharp cocks about I'VE feet high. Next
cocks and spread the hay around on the
ground. In the late afternoon put two OF
three of these cocks together. or into one
making the tops as sharp as possible. II
the weather remains clear and dry the
cocks may now remain undisturbed uhtll
dry enough 20 store away In :he barn,
which viii be in the course of three OF
four days-the time varying according TO
conditions of the weather. In case OF
sfowery weather the partly cured hay
may be stacked around pole placed firm
IL in the ground and standing about twelve
feet high. The ground around the stack
poles should first he covered with an open
platform of rails laid on poles or stones;
and three or four long poles or fence rails
should be placed around the center stack
pole open at the base and fastened toSeth-
or at the top. Finish the top of the stack
with crab grass or grain straw OF any klAd.
8. Hay caps are now much used IN the
north and west. one kind is made of thick
paper board. in the shape of n hutcd saul
Ger about three and a half feet in diameter.
These are inserted. one over each hay cock,
ana the cocks are not disturbed after they
are first put up on the day Of moving.
But a very good hay cap may be made OF
ordinary cotton drilling, or heavy sheet
ing. by sewing together 50 as to make
sheet six feet square, With round hole
worked IN each corner. These shcets-Onc
to each co,s-should be spread tightly
over the cocks ana fastened down securely
at each corner by a peg. The hay Is con
sider,d TO be- sufficiently cured for storing
when no moisture CNudcs on twisting 4
stem tightly between the fingers.
1. There are other methods of curing pea
vine hay, each with its advocates. one
plan, often and long recommended, Is to
place the freshly cut pea vines. I'm layers
alternating with dry wheat or oat straw
/ cannot recommend It from experience.
Another way is to build rail pen and
T2aSe an open platform of rails every two
or thrce feet. to support successive layers
Of vines and keep the mass oren. We have
not tried this method. IN fact, for five
years past, It the station farm we have had
no serious difficulty in making a good
quality Of hay by the method first detailed.
Last year we added the hay caps, and the
result was satisfacterS
The one rule to be observed IS this: Never
handle the vines whei. partly cured. except
late in the afternoon OF early IN the morn
ing. In fact they should be handled rs little
as possible, in order TO prevent the loss of
the leaves. Il VIII Toe found more difficult to
cure vines from a pea crop that was cul-
tivated and kept clean of grass When
sown broadcast and the native grasses al
lowed TO come up and grow with the
vines the curing is easier and the gross
product is treater-in proportion to tho
quantity Of grass.
Tho following short table gives the per
centase OF 'protein" and carbohydrates
contained in each kind named. including
some Of the wcll-Nnown grains. The pro
ten IS that portion of the nutritive part
OF "A food that is especially important in
building up the muscles, nerves, tendons.
bones. skin. hair and wool of an animal
and may be represented by the lean meat
Of beef ana of porS. The carbohydrates
is that portion Of the food which goes TO
produce fat and to sustain respiration and
keep up the animal heat, and mny be rep
resented by tAe tdilow. lard. Nitrogen is
the essential element Of proteins; carbon
ana hydrogen tcarbo-hydrateD that of car
bohydraics. a food FOR animals Is valuable
as such in proportion to the percentage it
contains of dgestbie protcins ana carbo-
hydrates. Now Tor the table: