294 



If all things favored, either of these modes was successful, 

 but the drouth, both of the spring and the fall, usually fol- 

 lowed and destroyed the seed, when sprouting. This uncer- 

 tainty of success debarred many from putting in as much 

 grass as, otherwise, they would, and ought to do. The rem- 

 edy, he believed, was an obvious one. 



In the first place, the ploughing ought to be performed 

 differently. He spoke now of clay soils, such as in Monroe. 

 It was usual to plough up a whole field before putting the 

 harrow upon it. When first turned up, the clods crumbled 

 easily, but if left to a drying sun and wind, but a day or 

 two, they would not pulverize. The first change ought here 

 to be made. The harrow should follow the plow on the same 

 day, and the ground thoroughly pulverized. This ought to 

 be the mode adopted, whether the timothy is to be sown on 

 wheat, or oats, or by itself. After the ground is thus pul- 

 verized and the seed sown, the roller should follow. The 

 ground would thus be pressed closely around the seed, which, 

 by these means, would be protected from the effects of a 

 drouth. 



He would say one word as to curing clover. When cut 

 down, it ought to be suffered to wilt, then turned, and soon 

 after put in small cocks, that it might be cured by the wind 

 passing through them. If cured too much in the sun, the 

 leaves turn black and fall from the stem, which becomes hard 

 and innutricious. If put up too green, especially in large, 

 thick layers, it is liable to mould. If the weather is such as 

 to force it to be hauled in when too green, alternate layers 

 of straw and clover will be found advantageous. If the far- 

 mer has no straw or does not desire to mix it, he should 

 spread out his clover into as thin layers as possible, and cut 

 down from day to day as small quantities as circumstances 

 will permit. A moderate quantity of salt should be spread 

 over each layer — say from four to five quarts to each horse 

 wagon load. In curing all kinds of hay, the prevailing error 

 is to cut down too much at a time, and before any portion of 



