SECRETARY'S REPORT. Ig7 



repeatedly on our own farm, and am satisfied close cutting was the 

 cause. 



Clover hay, cured as before described, requires about four quarts 

 of salt to the ton, but other kinds when properly dried are better 

 without the salt than with it. It was formerly our practice to use 

 salt with all kinds of hay, but latterly we prefer to mix clean, dry 

 straw, if we have it, with hay that is not sufficiently made to pack- 

 down by itself. 



We liave not top-dressed either our grass or pasture lands to any 

 extent, but intend to do so as soon as my arrangements for that can 

 be carried into effect. I have graded my barn-yard of a gradual 

 slope from tlie back side of it to the bottom of the manure vaults, 

 so that all the wash is carried directly to them, and by means of a 

 drain leading to the side-hill I can irrigate two or three acres in 

 this manner, or by closing the mouth of it, allowing only the sur- 

 plus ^o escape ; and by means of a pump placed in each vault, I 

 intend to pump the water up into sprinklers to be carried out and 

 distributed over the grass land. I think that pastures are not cared 

 for enough, but are ^allowed to be overrun with bushes, briars and 

 thistles. They should be kept clean as a mowing field." 



By J. 0. Kyes, North Jay. 



" In curing herdsgrass and redtop, I mow in the forenoon and in 

 the afternoon rake it and put in bunches of seventy-five pounds^ — 

 put caps on and let them stand until the next forenoon after the 

 dew is ofi", then open and as soon as it is drj^ enough get it in. 

 Clover I let stand in bunches one or two days before I open it ; 

 prefer to cut my grass when it is full in bloom ; cut four or five 

 inches from the ground, or high enough to keep the sun from dry- 

 ing the roots so as to kill them. Early cut hay is worth from two 

 to four dollars per ton more than late cut. For hay caps I get 

 common cotton cloth, one and a half yards wide, and take a square 

 of it, make eyelet holes, in each corner put a string six inches long, 

 fasten to them a stick eighteen inches in length, and my caps are 

 made. I think hay caps pay for themselves on an aA'crage, as often 

 as once in two years." 



By James Walker, Fryeburg. 



" If grass is the only object, I would sow grass seed alone ; but 

 to prepare the land for a good crop of hay, it is necessary to man- 



