SECRETARY'S REPORT. 189 



inches from the ground, where the land will admit of it. Three 

 inches at the bottom is more valuable than six at the top ; be- 

 sides, it leaves the land in better shape for the next year." 

 Another intelligent, practical farmer says : " It has been diffi- 

 cult to get mowers that would cut close enough, but the mow- 

 ing machine gives better satisfaction in that respect." And 

 another : " The general practice in this vicinity is, to cut as 

 low as possible, in order to get all the fodder ; unquestionably 

 it would be better for the ground and the next crop, to cut the 

 grass a few inches above the ground, to shield the roots, still, 

 I consider, to cut low, followed by a top-dressing, is a better way, 

 and leaves a smoother surface to mow over the following year." 



An intelligent farmer of Berkshire county says: "Three 

 inches. If pared too close, the hot sun kills or impairs the 

 vigor of the roots, and stubble of some length retains the snow 

 and gives protection from the winds of winter." 



A very successful, practical farmer of E^sex county says : " I 

 prefer to cut English grass about three inches from the ground, 

 believing tliat cutting it closer lets the rays of the sun to the 

 roots of the grass, the intense heat of whicti, without any 

 screen or shade, greatly impairs the growtli of the plant, par- 

 ticularly in a dry season." Another of Middlesex, says : " Cut 

 Timothy grass rather high ; finer grasses, and especially wet 

 meadows, should be ciit as close as practicable ; on upland, in 

 fine grass, there is great loss to the crop by cutting high ; in 

 wet meadows high mowing gives the mosses and cranberries 

 headway, which will eat out the better grasses." 



Thus, the testimony on this point is somewhat conflicting; 

 but many have noticed the injury inflicted upon Timothy by 

 low cutting in dry weather, sufficient, perhaps, to establish the 

 principle alluded to on a preceding page. Most concur in say- 

 ing that the finer grasses can be cut lower with safety, partic- 

 ularly if the season be not too dry. Much, undoubtedly, depends 

 upon the soil and the season. 



CURING OF HAY. 



We have seen that grasses attain their full development at 

 the time of flowering, and then contain the liighost percentage 

 of soluble materials, such as starch, sugar and gum, and that 



