The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-07-26
TIE USE g MAcnlNER>
HAS MADE Han NAMING
EASIER

Haymaking is an art winch great
,onv farmers have not yet learned.
rba modern method Of making hay IS
sar different from that of the old days
.,on grass was cut with scythes, turn
4 With pitchforks, II time permitted
and slowed away In dark, musty
horns or stacked in the open field
n keep or spoil as might be.
In modern haymaking, time is essen
nal If the crop should be cut day
too soon 1t will easily spoil. II a day
TOO late it's quality may be impaired
BY its dry, woody growth Ii 1t is al
IoWed to lie on the ground "a hours
ton long before being tossed and cured
It's quality may be reduced one-haf.
Modern haying machinery makes
havmaking easier, but even with all
the appliances that ingenious manu-
facturers have given US, the proper
t,on of farmers who make a sure
thing" of their hay crop every year
4 Is all too small.
There has always been great deal
IA trouble in curing the cloyer-hay
crop. Much of its value Is lost because
Of the lack OF help necessary to prop
erly cure 1t and take care of it after
s. ii has been cured. The hay-tedder mas
helped greatly, and this kicking ma
chine Is now seen on every good farm
where the best modern methods are
employed.
The side rake is another fine ma
chine which helps US in saving the
crop, and if clover is cut In exactly
the right time the use Of these two
machines will enable any farmer to
save all their Is Of his crop, with at
least 90 per cent. of its feeding value.
Heretofore, much Of the hay OF this
country was lost through allowing 1t
to stand in stacks in the field. The
hay barn is now a necessity on every
good farm where the most is made OF
everything. Where hay is still stack
ed canvas covers help great deal, nut
the only way to properly care for clo-
yer hay is to put it into a well-ventl-
lated, clean barn.
The value of the hay crop depends
largely upon the man who makes It..
. He must have exact knowledge OF the
time to cut it, just how it must be
cured in all kinds of weather, and
Z how to store it. He must thoroughly
understand the use of all haying ma
chinery and know how to make the
most of every hour Of the haying sea-
son with his human help as well.
The proper use of machinery is the
most important thing. Too many farm
ers In their haste to get the crop on
the ground crowd their moving ma
chimes beyond their capacity, which
always results in considerable loss.
Nothing is more indicative Of poor
farmer than the sight of bayfield, In
which little rows Of grass, varying
from two to six inches, are left stand
Ing, the result of trying to make a
seven-foot cycle-bar cut seven-foot
six inch swath.
The machine should be set and so
driven as to cut every spear OF grass
slick and clean, and lay it down even
II. Then, when the raking comes On,
there is another source of loss in the
careless way in which the ground Is
covered, or rather not covered Lit
lie lunches of hay left here and there
count largely in the aggregate, and
mean large money lost.
We know of many good farmers who
are particular about the way in which
they handle every crop on the farm
except the hay crop. They make out
OF this sort of side issue. They fail
~ 70 make proper preparations, and when
The season comes upon them they
dash hurriedly into the work, rush 1t
nom start to finish, take small note
Of weather conditions, and thereby
lose from 10 to rs per cent. OF Its
value.
The up-to-date farmer who produces
timothy hay as rule raises it for the
market end not for the consumption
OF his own stock, because clover and
alfalfa are so much better. Timothy
tor the market should he allowed to
get ripper before it is cut than II 1t is
% be stacked and fed on the farm.
All arrangements for the baling