GRASS CROP. 119 



old hay, if you have any, or straw, to absorb the moisture as it 

 rises from the new hay. I believe the rule in regard to cutting 

 grass at the time of the second blossoming is a great deal better 

 than to begin the last day of the month, or the Monday after the 

 4th of July. I know of men now, who make all their farm opera- 

 tions bend to the one point of getting ready for haying the Mon- 

 day after the 4th of July. 



I do not find a word of fault with the lecture ; I enjoyed it ; but 

 there was one point about which I want to say a word. It does 

 not necessarily follow, that it is a better or more profitable time to 

 cut hay, because if cut at a certain time, it is preferred by cattle. 

 There is no doubt that they like it better, but the question to be 

 decided is, when it is worth the most. 



Mr. Webster. I would ask whether all grass blossoms in one 

 day ? One man has a low meadow, another has high land ; can 

 all the grass be cut at the same time ? Should not one wait longer 

 than the other ? Another question I want to ask is, whether bay 

 cut just as the head comes out of Timothy, is not too laxative? 

 It does very well for beef oxen, if you don' give too much, or 

 give something to counteract the effect. I do not speak of this as 

 opposed to cutting hay early. I think farmers cut it too late, al- 

 most invariably ; but I should not want to cut all my hay, if I had 

 fifty acres, when the head first blossoms out. 



I have examined grass when in bloom, and there seemed to be 

 two blossoms come out of herds-grass, but I thought no plant would 

 reallj' bloom more than once. One other point. I have cut hay 

 late upon fields where wheat or oats had grown, and it would seem 

 ■ to be a third old stubble when I put it into the barn, and the cattle 

 would not eat more than half or two-thirds. But when I cut 

 early, I could scarcely find any of this stubble left. This seemed 

 very strange to me. I would like to learn whether this hay, .when 

 cut early, does not sweeten the stubble so that cattle love it ? I 

 do not know why they should eat it if that is not the case. 



Mr. M. B. Sears of Wiuthrop. I came here to learn, and not 

 to teach veteran farmers ; but being a member of the Winthrop 

 Farmers' Club, and a delegate here, I wish to give my testimony 

 in favor of progress in agriculture. I will glance at some of the 

 points under consideration. 



One gentleman tells us that he has reclaimed his worn-out mow- 

 ing lands by pasturing sheep. It is a good idea. If a man has 

 more land under the plow than he can cultivate properly, let him 



