Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-18
fart1 and fireside.
HOW To CURE PEAYINE HAY.

and Southron, Mr.. E. Dabbs, former
ly of Sumter county, but now of Ala,
bama, gives the following points on
curing peavine hay:
The first thing to consider is the
proper stage for cutting, and this is
determined by the proportion of grass
among the vines. If all peas or very
little grass, not enough to be of any
consequence, the best time to cut is
after blooming when about one-third OF
the pods are turning yellow, but be-
fore the leaves begin to fall. You then
have some ripe peas that cure without
shelling and the balance in the state
for table use, and snaps. Cut at this
stage, peavine hay comes nearer to
being balanced ration than any other
one stock food. Experience has prov
en- this and it is backed by chemical
analysis made by DR.. w. B. Burney,
as shown in the South Carolina state
chemists reports of three or four years
ago. On the other hand the grasses
and clovers should be cut when in
bloom for the best hay. So We must
keep the difference in view in decid-
ing when to cut a field of hay; il all,
or nearly all grass, cut when in bloom,
if all, or nearly all peas cut at the
time indicated above; and if nearly
equally mixed with grass and peas,
cut at the stage that will insure the
largest amount of good hay from
both.
Having determined upon the stage
of growth when the hay should be cut,
the next thing is to watch the weather
and try to hit on good, hot sunshine
for the curing. Sometimes you may
have to wait until the best stage is
passed, but this is better than to have
a weeks rain on field of mown hay.
A hard shower, or even heavy rain
if followed by clear weather, rarely
Injuries hay more than to discolor it
slightly, if it is properly handled after
ward. The stage of maturity, the
rankness of growth, and whether it is
cloudy or fair, must be considered in
determining when to rake after cut
ting. The finest hay that I ever cur
ed was cut between 8 o'clock a. m,
and 4 o'clock p. m. Rake started just
as the mowers were leaving the field,
and wagons started next morning
about 10 o'clock when thoroughly dry
of dew. Although no more than wilt
ed it was packed away on the barn
loft, trails being laid two feet apart
across the joists) and salted down.
One man was kept on the hay all the
time, and packed it down as tight as
possible, filling up to the comb before
starting another section. (This hay
was just at the right stage for putting
in ventilated stacks in the field which
l will describe later.)
The lower floor was then filled with
hay that was cured in the field as fol-
low: Raked up in the morning after
it was moved and that evening piled
in cocks five or six feet in diameter and
six or seven feet high, being careful
not to pack, rounding up nicely and
putting big torkful on top for cap.
Some of these cocks stood in the fields
two weeks and had two hard rains on
them and none were damaged except
where toppled over by the wind.
These rains were not continuous, and
bright sunshine followed soon after,
Where one has plenty of house room,
but cannot give it ventilation as on
lofts, this is the best way to cure hay.
Sometimes it may be necessary to open
the cocks for a few hours, but always
recock it before night to keep out the
dew. When ready to pack away, it is
not necessary to wait for the dew to
dry off the cocks, but the wagons may
start at sunrise. If there is no grass
among the vines, 1 would not like to
risk big rain on the cocks, but would
want it stacked permanently or put on
q barn loft.
To cure in stacks: Build pen six
or eight rails high, or put four strong
crotches in the ground, so that the
floor will be 1S inches to 2 feet high
clear, floor with rails or poles ~ inches
apart. In the center of the pen put
up 16-foot pole, and around pole nail
eight braces 10 feet long, spread them
at bottom so there will be a lue three
feet in diameter at the floor. On this
pen and around the hue, pack the hay,
keeping inside a little higher and
packing it closer than outside. When
above where the braces are nailed to
pole, pack around pole to top. u.s.
ually carried the sides nearly perpen-
dicular to a level with top of flue and
then draw in to top. Make rope Of
grass and vines and tie up a big cap,
force this over the top of the pole,
which should be clear of knots and
sharp to allow the cap to settle as the
hay cures, force it down as tight as
possible, and in week or two, if the
cap does not settle with stack, force it
down again.
l had hay put up in this way that
took the weather for eighteen months
and was as bright and sound as the
day it was stacked. And the peas in
it did not have a sign of a weavil
about them. The loss from exposure
on outside to weather was about 200
pounds to the stack of 1000 to 1000
pounds each.
Put up this way there is very little
danger of fire. 1t is not in the way !;
you can haul in a stack whenever
needed. If the sides are carried up
nearly vertical for seven or eight feet,
cattle may eat great deal out around
the bottom without danger of the in
side being damaged by the weather.
And 1 will guarantee bale of COT
L..