Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-07-04
Just Before Haying.
TIMELY SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW ENG
LAND HAY MAKERS.

have read with interest, as always
do, what our mutual friend, Mr.. Cheever,
has to say in The New England Farmer
of June 10, as to the advisability of
securing all of the hay crop possible
while at the best stage of growth, how
10 do il, etc., and only wish to say a
little more on this most important sub
ject.
The time has passed by when it was
he custom to extend the process of
securing the hay crop over period of
four or five weeks. | well remember
when | first commenced to cut grass
early, many years ago, that the depart
ure from old customs was not looked
kindly upon by the neighboring farmers
who thought | was making mistake; :;
but also remember that most of these
same farmers came To "borrow hay"
afterwards.
II is well that with present facilities
haying can be performed in SO much
shorter time, otherwise with such
scarcity of help it would be impossible
70 secure the crop, or much of it, when
1t the right stage of growth. The now
ing fields are in much better condition
FOR securing the crop than used to be
the case, and this is one of the good re-
,ultS of having improved machinery.
1t is also probable that not as much
ground is gone over as once was the
case. There is less area but increased
production from better cultivation.
With a suitable rotation and good cul-
tivation it is possible TO nearly or quite
double the amount of hay per acre from
what il used to be generation ago.
Begin early, Yes, that is it.
Do not wait until all of the grass is
ready for the harvest before commenc-
ing. Here is where some make mis-
take which they are pretty apt to find
out before the harvest is finished.
On most farms, as Mr.. Cheever men,
tiOns, there is quite a variety OF grasses,
some earlier than the others, and these
should be secured first. In addition to
{ hose mentioned are the wild or water
grasses. Where these form portion OF
the moving field they should be cut
early, when they will make very good
hay; if allowed to stand little too long
they will deteriorate rapidly. These
grasses usually cure easily. If there
are fields infested with white daisies or
1ther foul growth, they should be cut
early before maturing their seeds.
Better no. to allow such growths if pos
sible by proper rotation and good man
agement.
Ii is always we'll to grade the hay
when putting it in the barns. Then
each grade can be had when wanted.
The prospect for an average crop OF
hay in northern Vermont is better than
before the late rains. These if wide
spread will be of much benefit as it was
getting very dry. After the rain came
warmer weather. The grass needs sun
shine to more properly mature it. Last
year il was so cloudy and wet that the
quality of the hay was injured in con-
sequence and did not spend well. 1t is
possible that the frosts late in May may
have injured the grass on the low lands
10 some extent. If this be so there will
be little use in letting it stand longer
than the usual time, thinking that it will
gain by so doing, as this will seldom be
the case.
Again | have noticed that on some of
the newly-seeded fields although there
was very good catch, the grass is short.
| have found that there is very little
gain in allowing such pieces to go uncut
longer than the rest, as there will be
little or no gain. If cut at the usual
time there will be more likelihood of a
second growth starting up.-Cor. IN New
England Farmer.