The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-07
Curing Hay for Home Use.

In hay making, two points are to be
considered, writes J. s. Woodward, Of
New York. First, how to get the
largest weight of such hay as is most
in demand in the market and will
bring the highest price, and second,
how to get the largest amount of di-
gestible stock food to the acre. The
first is from the standpoint OF the hay
seller. The other from that of the hay
feeder.
Fortunately for the farmer, the hay
buying public has not yet "got onto
the fact that for all animals for all pur-
poses for a driving horse even, there
is no hay quite equal to early cut, we'll
cured clover, so the market calls for
timothy hay and such will sell for sew
eral dollars per ton more than any
other, and it must be made from grass
fully grown and ripenedtoa point just
short of the shattering of the seed.
There is a prejudice in the market
against hay that is too green in color,
and although hay cut early and of a
deep green color Is far better to feed,
it will not bring as much as that which
is lighter in color, in fact, almost white,
providing this color from fuller
maturity and not from bleaching by
the weather.
While no other of the true grasses
has nearly so high a feeding value as
the northern bluegrass, "Poa COM
pressa," and nothing increases the
feeding value of timothy hay more than
a mixture of this grass, such a mix
ture injuries its market value in pro-
portion to the quantity of bluegrass
contained. So then, for market, clean
timothy is wanted, and it should be
cut just before its seeds will shell and
at this stage can be cut in the morn
ing of a good hay day, and drawn and
housed in afternoon, especially if it be
gone over with O tedder soon after
dinner.
But as to the best time to cut
the various kinds of grasses, best
methods of curing, handling and stor-
ing to get best results in feeding farm
stock. We do not care for bulk but
fer amount of digestihle food. A we'll
established fact in vegetable growth is,
that during the early season much OF
the growth Of hay plants is at the ex-
pense of nutriment stored up the pre-
vious season, and that up to a certain
point of maturity the plant is largely
foer and water, and that beyond this
time the plant is taking in carbon from
tile air and uniting hat with the water
AID forming the carbohydrates-irst
sugar, then starch and lastly fiber;
that the further this change goes the
woody fiber increases and the digesti-
bic matter decreases.
A rapid change also takes place in
the constituents of grasses in the cur
ing or drying process. While the green
grass may contain much sugar, when
the same has been cured but little can
found, it having passed on to the starch
form largely, and doubtless more or
less has gone on into the woody state.
These facts true, grasses of all kinds
SHOULD be cut when they have the great
est quantity of sugar and starch pei
acre, as these are both almost com
pletely digestible. If allowed to &C
beyond this the hay may increase much
in weight and still lose much of its di'
gestible value.
With all the grasses, clover included,
this point will be found just at the
period of full bloom. T know many
have a notion that the pollen on the
grasses makes the hay dusty, but il
that be the only dust on the hay, nc
animal will ever be injured by its use,
There is one objection to this early
cutting of grass for hay-it is much
more work to cure it, but the fal
greater value will more than compen'
safe for the extra labor.
I have tried almost every way Of hay
making but, all things considered, ]
prefer to do most OF the curing in cock.
I like to start the mower about foul
o'clock in the afternoon and keep it
running until 10 o'clock the aext day,
except for o couple OF hours in the
early morning. Ii the grass is heavy,
it should be shaken out with a tedder
before noon ard by three in the after
noon it will he ready to rake and 60
into cocks.
Few men know just how tc make q
good hay Geek. Almost anyone can
make q bunch. but it takes m artist
to put up q hay cock so it will shed
rain anu not De blown over by every
little breeze. 1t should be small on
the ground. rather ,nii and so built up
that tae outside coat shall shed rain
like the thatch on a stack. This is
easily done by..oue who. knows how,
bat difficult to describe sothat anovice
can make one just right. Hay put into
cocks after being fully wilted will, in
good weather, sweat and cure out,
ready to 60 into the barn, in two to
five days, according to the weather.
When cured enough on a bright
morning after dew is of, the cocks
should be deity opened into just good
sized forkfuls, and in m hour and a
half or two hours it is ready to draw
and put into barns. Of course where
n has rot storage under cover he will
be compelled to stack the hay, but
believe this is q wasteful practice and