TIME OF CUTTING. 163 



principal grasses, Timothy and redtop, when in full blossom ; 

 red clover when about half the heads are in blossom, and swale 

 grass before it is ripe, and generally before blossoming, if possi- 

 ble, so as to prevent it from becoming hard and wiry. 



This practice is unquestionably founded on a correct princi- 

 ple, the object of the farmer being to secure his hay so as to 

 make it most like grass in its perfect condition. From princi- 

 ples stated in another place, it has been seen that the nutritive 

 substances of grass are those, which are, for the most part, 

 soluble in water, such as sugar, gluten, and other compounds. 

 Now it is evident that if this is so, the grass should be cut at 

 tlic time when it contains the largest amount of these princi- 

 ples. In its early stages of growth it contains a very large 

 percentage of water. From its earliest growth the sugar and 

 other soluble substances gradually increase till they reach their 

 maximum percentage in the blossom, or when the seed is fully 

 formed in the cell. From this period the saccharine matter 

 constantly diminishes, and the woody fibre, perfectly insoluble 

 in water, and innutritions, increases till after the seeds have 

 matured, when the plant begins to decay. Of course, if the 

 plant is not cut in the flower, a great part of the nutriment of 

 its stems and leaves is wasted. 



There are some exceptions to this rule in the natural grasses, 

 as already seen in considering their nutritive qualities, and in 

 the analyses at different periods of their growth. Thus, in 

 case of the orchard grass, Sinclair found the nutritive matter 

 at the time the seed was ripe and at the time of flowering, as 

 seven to five, and the stems of Timothy were found to contain 

 more nutritive matter when the plant was ripe, than at the time 

 of flowering, though it was found that the loss of aftermath 

 which would have formed had the plant been cut in blos- 

 som, more than balanced the gain of nutritive matter in the 

 ripening of the seed. Most of the grasses, too, make a greater 

 quantity of hay when cut at the time of blossoming, though 

 the crested dog's tail has been found to be an exception to this 

 rule. Fowl meadow, also, contains an equal quantity of pro- 

 duce at the time of ripening the seed and at the time of blos- 

 soming, and the nutritive matter at both periods is about the 

 same. It will be found in practice generally to be better to be a 

 little too early than too late, for the gain is in two directions, in 



