76 Vermont Agriculttjeal Report. 



be expelled by the process of fermentation and little harm will 

 result if a large amount of hay is stored in one bay during a 

 single day. Many make the mistake of scattering the hay over 

 the entire barn, if it seems a little green. The result is that the 

 heat of fermentation is less and there is a larger surface area for 

 moisture to condense upon,, and this affords favorable conditions 

 for mold to form. If the hay is mostly clover more drying is 

 needed than for the true grasses. But in this case the drying 

 should be done as far as possible while the hay is cocked. Long 

 drying in the sun causes the leaves to become crisp and brittle 

 and they are readily lost in handling. 



It is impossible to lay down fixed rules by which the hay 

 crop should be handled in cutting, curing, and housing, because 

 so much depends on weather conditions, kind of hay and degree 

 of maturity, when it is being cut. A few general suggestions 

 are all that is possible. First of all we would urge cutting in the 

 early stages of growth, starting the haying even before the 

 blossoming stage — on farms where large areas are to be harvested, 

 so that much of the crop will not become over-ripe. If late cutting 

 cannot be avoided owing to weather conditions, that which is cut 

 late should be fed to young stock or horses rather than to dairy 

 cows. Do the cutting if possible when the dew is off, either the 

 latter part of the morning or else late in the afternoon, according 

 to convenience and to the weight of crop. Use the tedder freely. 

 There is no implement of greater value in all the operations of 

 haying. If the hay is to be left over night there is little to be 

 gained by cocking if the weather promises fair, except in case of 

 clover hay. It is usually preferable to leave it in the windrow. 

 The second day we always try to begin hauling before noon partly 

 to prevent delay by having too many teams in the field directly 

 after noon. As far as possible place a large amount of hay in 

 one bay or on one scaffold during a single day. 



HOW MAY we: KEIEP UP THE) FE^RTIUTY OF GRASS-I.ANDS ? 



The average yield of hay, according to the census returns, 

 for most of the New England states is a little over one ton per 

 acre, yields of from three to four tons are however not uncom- 

 mon on well managed dairy farms while Clark of Higganam, 

 Conn., (the advocate of the so-called Clark System) claims yields 

 of from six to eight tons per acre. The neglected condition of 

 meadows on hundreds of farms shows that little is being done to 

 improve the hay crop. That meadow-lands are often "run out" 

 and filled with weeds, bushes and foul grasses and sedges. How 

 may such lands be restored and be brought to yield moderate but 

 yet remunerative crops? 



