112 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



20th.) The proposition is here presented as being true, tliat if all 

 the grass in the State was cut at the proper time, instead of tol- 

 erating the present delay, the saving would amount to as much as 

 the entire cost of securing the crop. The loss consists not only in 

 the quality of the first crop, but also in the failui'e of the second. 

 The grass loses in quality and substance, more than it gains in 

 bulk. Such hay spends well, not because it is nutritious, but be- 

 cause it is unpalatable to the cattle and they refuse to eat it." 



I cannot leave this part of my subject without calling your 

 attention to some remarks made by Dr. Fisher, at a meeting of the 

 Massachusetts BoarS of Agriculture, at Amherst, last year. He 

 is an eminent practical farmer of Fitchburg : 



" I believe in the early cutting of grass, and I presume I believe 

 in an earlier cutting of grass than any gentleman in the hall. I 

 believe that grass should be cut just when cattle like it the best, 

 and that is long before it is in flower. If j'ou will give cattle their 

 choice, you will find that they will take invariably tlie earlier and 

 shorter grass, before it throws up its flower-stem. It may be that 

 if you cut grass at that time you get but a small crop ; but it is just 

 as much better as it is smaller. I have been experimenting upon 

 this subject for some years, and I have concluded that the best 

 time to cut herds-grass, if I can have my choice, is just when the 

 seed-stem begins to show itself, and when the grass averages from 

 ten inches to a foot in height. At that time the grass contains 

 more nutriment than it does afterwards, because as it goes on it 

 changes to woody- fibre very mucli faster than it increases the 

 soluble ingredients which serve for the nourishment of the animal. 

 I therefore intend to cut my grass at that time. I used to make 

 the same mistake that almost everybody does. I did not begin to 

 cut my grass until my first field was ripe, and the consequence 

 was, when I ended, my last grass was spoiled, which is the case 

 with a great many farmers. 



It is important to cut all grass when it is in good condition, 

 and the only way we can get along witli it is to cut the first too 

 early. 1 watched mine this year daily, and I came to the con- 

 clusion tliat if I liad cut it all on the 1 5th of JuTie, it would 

 have been worth more m'onej' to mo than if cut later. I began 

 about the 13th of June and finished on the 3d day of July. 



I cut my herds-grass before it- had shown a blossom, and I 

 should bo willing to put that hay before cattle by the side of any 

 other hay, and if they did not take mine in preference to any cut 



