414 [Senate 



on the inverted sward. If the land was tolerably clear of stones, and 

 a good plow, in good order, was used, the work might be so well 

 done, that a light, sharp harrow would make the surface sufficiently 

 level to form a good "bottom" for mowing over. A roller might 

 sometimes be used to good advantage before harrowing. The suc- 

 cess of clover, sown in the fall, depended much on the nature of the 

 soil, and the character of the succeeding winter. If the soil was po- 

 rous and not likely to be thrown by frost, and the weather of the 

 next winter and spring not such as to " winter kill," it would do very 

 well. He had known it sown with rye with good results. As a 

 general rule, however, it was better, probably, to sow clover in the 

 spring. The late snows furnished a good bed for sowing it — as the 

 snow w^ent off it softened the ground sufficiently tor th^ seed to sink 

 into it. 



Mr. Betts thought the time for cutting grass depended on the 

 weather, in a great degree. He thought grass might retain its nour- 

 ishing qualities till the seed was formed — it sometimes looked dry at 

 top "w^hen it was green at bottom. In wet weather it may sour or rot 

 at the bottom. He agreed that clover should not be much exposed to 

 the sun in making. Eut the great thing in hay-making, was to have 

 good weather, and then with proper care we could have good hay. 

 He was not in favor of mowing a great deal of grass while the dew is 

 on. He was in the habit of spreading the swathes as soon as the 

 ground was dry, and he always had it well cocked up before night. 

 The next day, if the weather was good, he opened it again, if it did 

 not dry enough he put it together again ; but his object was to get 

 it so that it would do to put it in the barn. He was in favor of using 

 a little salt with it. He had sometimes found his hay heat too much 

 in the mow. From being hurried, he had occasionally put a load 

 in the barn too green. To stop the heat and fermentation which had 

 ensued in such cases, he had made holes in the hay with a crow-bar, 

 and scattered in salt. In this way he had stopped the fermentation, 

 and saved his hay in very good order. In seeding he did not use as 

 much seed as Mr. Bement had mentioned. If it was properly put 

 in, and the weather was favorable, a less quantity than had been 

 mentioned would answer. He had had as good a crop as he ever 

 saw, with four pounds of clover seed to the acre. It was often hur- 

 ried too deep — so deep that a great deal of it does not vegetate. He 

 preferred usinig only a light bush for covering it — this" was better than 

 harrowing it in. He chose to sow clover before the frost was out of 

 the ground. 



Mr. Garretson, of the Assembly, from Dutchess county, said he 

 generally cut from 150 to 200 tons of hay per year, chiefly timothy 

 and red-top. He generally begun when the grass was in the blossom. 

 His method was to cut in the morning, spread the swathes lightly, 

 and in the afternoon put it in cocks. The next day, if the sun came 

 out, it was again spread, and if made enough, put in the barn, with 

 a little salt sprinkled on it. About three quarts of salt on the ton 

 was as much as he used. There was danger of using too much. He 

 had formerly used more salt, and was satisfied his animals, particu- 



