SECRETARY'S REPORT. 155 



By Joseph Frost, Elliot. 



" I have plowed low meadow land in the fall, laying it in beds 

 two to three rods wide, harrowed thoroughly, and seeded in March, 

 with good results. Also, I have re-seeded land, the stubble or 

 grass being killed out by the drouth, when sowed late in spring ; 

 re-seeded the following March, and received a fair crop of clover, 

 the same year. I prefer March when grain is not connected. We 

 have not sowed grass seed without grain on our high land, and 

 always received a good catch of seed when sowed early in spring, 

 or by 15th of May, except in years of severe drouth. 



The best mode, in our opinion, of curing herdsgrass and redtop, 

 is to cut it when the seed is fully formed, in the fore part of the 

 day (the weather being favorable) put up at night, re-opened and 

 frequently turned until dry. Clover to be cut and wilted ; then put 

 up and stand twenty-four hours; then opened and turned fre- 

 quently, with a bright sun, until three-fourths made, and then 

 mowed. We do not consider clover hay worth so much as herds- 

 grass and redtop by twenty-five per cent. 



We prefer cutting herdsgTass and redtop when the seeds are 

 about full, and before the grass changes its color. Clover may be 

 cut when the blow is about half changed ; better to cut earlier than 

 later. Hay cut at the time above stated is worth twenty per cent, 

 more than hay cut late, from grasses considered equal at the proper 

 time. Early cut grass gives the roots a chance to recover and the 

 frost does not have such effect as on the late cut, and the land will 

 continue to hold out longer than by late cutting. 



We consider very close cutting to be injurious to the next crop, 

 unless the soil is wet and in high cultivation. I have not used salt 

 for many years ; we used it some years, at about one peck to the 

 ton ; do not consider it any advantage to hay, except in wet 

 seasons. 



Manny's mower is in use in Elliot, Kittery and Portsmouth, and 

 neighboring towns, and in my acquaintance it has given general 

 satisfaction. 



I have been in the use of hay caps some years, made of cotton 

 cloth. I obtained the widest cloth that could be found at the time, 

 used a square with four stones, one* in each corner ; they are not 



* Stones, one to one and a half pounds, each. 



