The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-06
CONCERNING THE HAY CROP.
A Good Cut Expected and The Best
Ways Of Handling It.

A large hay crop seems a certainty
this season. There is an especially fine
promise of clover. Good clover hay on
| The stock farm almost makes the diff
ference between profit and loss for tho
year. There is no denying, however,
that IL is more difficult to make good
bay from clover than from timothy, and
that clover hay poorly made is almost
worthless as feed. There are not many
operations Of the farm that call for
a higher order or skill and judgment
than the making Of clover hay. So many
things are TO be taken into considera
ton. Ideal conditions seldom or never
prevail. This makes it impractical TO
lay down hard and fast rules, says the
Ohio Farmer. 1t is important, however,
to understand few general principles
Hay is not grain. 1t seems necessary
still to urge this upon a few people who
insist upon letting hay get ripe before
cutting, AS an argument TO support
d their contention they cite that the crop
continues to increase in weight until
fully ripe, and further, that a mature
car of corn is worth more than one in
the roasting.ear stage. The fallacy
here is that the illustration tends to
prove tho reverse At what is intended.
| As plants ripen, the material that may
be utilized as feed for animals is large.
Nv gathered in the seed, and the stem
RAPIDLY increaaRs in mineral matter
which renders it less digestible. Where
the grain alone, or principally, Is to be
utilized as feed for animals, it is wise
to let the crop mature, but that is not
true with hay. The ripened seeds Of
the grasses and cloyers are practically
valueless as animal feeds In support
of this statement are the facts gather
ed from feeding Investigations AMI
mails thrive better when fed upon hay
made from immature grass and clover
than upon mature.
As years have gone by experience has
led us TO cut hay little earlier than
formerly. we used to wait until one
half the clover heads were brown be-
fore starting the mower. We now start
az soon as the field is in full bloom it
weather conditions are favorable. Foa-
orable weather is so important that we
watch it almost as closely as the hay
CROP itself 1T Is difficult TO cure hay
on wet ground even if the sky is clear.
Hence we have learned to take adyan.
vantage OF favorable conditions rather
than wait for the exact stage Of ma
turity at which we would like To har-
vest the crop. Poor Richards maxim,
snake hay while the sun shines Y
sound advice ii not interpreted too lit
orally. Make it when conditions arc
right, but that does not mean when
there il d glaring hot sun The moist
urc (sap) can be most readily and COM
pletely gotten out Of the stem by way
of the leaves, hence the study shouldp
: Be to keep them active as long q pos
: sble. A scorching hot sun parches
them long before the stems are dry and
thereby retards drying. Clover cut IN
the afternoon has much less moisture
in ii than that cut in the morning.
We prefer to cut late enough In the
afternoon SO that heavy dew or even
slight rain will not harm it shuld they
come, and late enough so that the leaves
viii not lose their action should the
sun remain bright until setting. II tbs
following day is a good hay day and tbs
tedder is used freely it win do to be-
Gin taking mp after noon. 1t should b.
raked into windrows before quite dry
enough for the NOV. The lossr6f Ieavel
! from oyerdrying is serieds in making
clover. hay -@rnEss large force is USED
n so that It can he taken up at about th'
same rate as moved and then side
delivery rake used a hay loader is not
very satisfactory in makisg clover hay
# We have done it with everything JUS
fright, but very often it is impossible t.
i make good clover hay without puttinl
: : it in cock for day or two. Tha
i should be done before the hay is dry
a have never been able to make goo'
/. clover hay in a single day. ] have pu
clover in the barn the same day 1t wa
cut but it was too ripe to be real!
: good hay.
) The tedder is almost indispensable j
making clover hay. It should be start
cd before the swath is dry on top
Some persons seew to think it is to tur'
. the swath over. It does nothing Of tn
y sort. II loosens it up so that air am
. sun gets at all Of it. The sun Is I'm
porant only as warming the air It !
1 res lly the air that dries the hay 1
| rainy season should depend upoi
putting the hay in a cock as soon .
slightly wilted, making them very SINAI
| at the base and as high as practicable