Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-07-03

OscSt iron COVeFS poItSu to9eIn6r m
Is U
The state OF West Virginia has a
climate which is especially adapted
to the growing of hay and forage crops
while the topography Of the land is
such as to make it advisable to grow
crops which will prevent the loss Of
soil by washing. With the hay crop
having annual value Of tWo-thirds of
the value of the corn crop and the
average farm value of hay for the past
ten years being 1882 per ton, while
the average production Is 1856 tons
per acre, it behooveS the farmers to
take more interest in the hay crop.
Too many farmers cling to the old
idea that timothy meadow land Is en-
riched although heavy crop Is taken
off year after year. An average crop
of hay, one and one-third tons, will re-
move as much nitrogen and as much
PHOSPHORUS and four times as much
potash as an 18 bushel wheat crop, and
one and one-half times as much nitro
gen, one and one-half' times as much
PHOSPHORUS and five times as much
potash from the soil as a SO bushel
corn crop. 1t is true that there is an
ter in the soil where the land is kept
in sod and this stimulates an increas-
ed growth in the succeeding cultivated
crop. Leguminous hay crops will build
up the soil In nitrogen but the phos-
phorous and potash fertilizers must
be supplied if We are to haYe perma-
nent agricultural fertility. BY the use
Of fertilizers or barnyard manure and
proper handling of the crop, We can
materially increase the profits from
meadow land.
The greatest amount of digestible
food can be obtained from most of the
grass hay plants by cutting them about
the time the plants go out of bloom.
Clovers must be cut at an earlier
stage for if one waits until the plants
are out of bloom many. of the leaves
and better parts of the hay will be lost
by shatterfng while curing. Over fifty
per cent Of the digestible and palata-
BILE part of the hay plants are contain
ed in the leaves and to shatter off the
leaves will mean loss Of at least hall
the crop. The grasses like timothy,
usually increase in total weight and
feeding value up to the time the seed
opens but there is a great decrease In
palatability and digestibility after the
blooming period. In feeding expert
ments made with very ripe timothy
hay and hay cut at earlier periods the
greatest value has been commonly
found to be in hay cut soon after the
bloom began to fall. To cut timothy
while in bloom usually =eaHses dusty
hay. The hardness and brittleness OF
very mature timothy is SO detrimental
to the palatability and digestibility OF
the hay that many stock feeders con.
slider it of but little more value, ton
for ton, than good oats straw. Where
the meadow is mixed, red clover and
timothy, it is advisable to cut the tim
othy before it has reached its best
state. Otherwise the loss from the
clover will be greater than any gain
made from the timothy. Mammoth
clover is better for mixed meadows as
1t natures later than red clover.
To cure hay properly it should be
protected from long exposure to the
sun or heavy dews. 1t is best to use
hay tedder soon after the hay is cut
and complete the curing while the hay
is in the shock. In a region where the
rains are frequent it is advisable to
use shock covers to prevent DAMAGE