The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-07-18
Hay Productions,

The productions of hay, either for
feeding or market, is leading factor
upon most farms and should have great
consideration. A writer in The Prairie
Farmer says If hay is grown for market
it is not advisable to have variety of
grasses in the same field, as the market
demands clean timothy or clover hay
mostly. For home consumption though,
and on great many soils, it is profit
able to SOW timothy and clover together,
as timothy grows on most any kind of
soil, while clover will not, and the field
will be spotted without the timothy or
soon worn out without the clover.
When clover and timothy are grown
together the crop must be cut when the
clover is turning a little brown, at
which time the timothy is in full bloom.
This of course diminishes the value of
the clover to some extent but the tim
othy is 30 much better and this makes
a heavy crop of good hay which is
eagerly relished by all kinds of stock.
To cure this crop nicely it must be cut
in the morning when the dew is off
and il it is bright day it can be
hauled in the afternoon, as the clover
is pretty we'll ripe. The same points
have to besconsidered in making good
timothy hay. Cut it when the first Is
about going to seed, then the last will
be in bloom. If the sun is hot and the
ground is not wet it will be dry enough
to rake up and haul in the afternoon.
A light dew will give the hay nice
bright color, if the weather is good so
it can be left over night, but for my
own feeding l would prefer to have it
in the same day it is cut. If the weather
Is unfavorable for hay to cure / cut it
in the morning and put it up in small
shocks in the afternoon. Then the
next day, if the sun shines and the hay
is well wilted down, scatter the shocks
out, shake up we'll and haul in as soon
as dry.
The hay will keep all right even if
some Of it seems to be rather green,
but be careful to have it perfectly dry
from dew and rain, as this is what
causes the hay to mold and become
dusty. 1 have put up clover hay when
some Of it was IS green as when it
grew in the field, but dry from dew
and rain, and it came out of the NOW
in winter nice and bright, without any
mold. l have heard many farmers say
they do not like to feed clover hay to
horses in summer because it causes
the horses to pant too much. Their
clover hay is dusty although they may
have had it lying in the sun for three
days to cure. If hay is put up little
green it is best to have deep NOW as
near tight as possible, instead OF spread
irg it out in a large open NOW and
opening all the doors to cure it. When
1 commenced farming / once filled
small haymow of about twenty-five
tons. Some of the hay was rather
green when put it up and was
afraid it would spoil. Several days af-
ter the NOW was filed l examined 1t to
see if it was getting hot and l found it
80 hot l could scarcely stay in the NOW.
l commenced to tear it apart so as to
save some of it at least, but it was go
hot and tough l concluded to let 1t
alone. The following winter, when
feeding it out found that 30 far as i
had the hay out 80 the air could pene-
trate through it, just 80 far it was
mouldy and dusty and the other came
out in nice shape, bright and free from
dust. Since thot time l am not afraid
to put up lhay if some of it is little
green.