186 GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



shire county, " carefully spread as soon as the ground between 

 the swaths is dry, and, if heavy, turned about noon, will dry 

 sufficiently in one day, if a clear one, to be put into the barn 

 before sunset. I believe many dry their hay too much. Never 

 dry it so as to make it brittle when twisted in the hand." 



These, and many other extracts of a similar import which 

 might be given, did space permit, indicate with sufficient dis- 

 tinctness the prevailing practice among the best farmers, but as 

 constantly intimated, it is very common to find hay dried far 

 too much. Every farmer is aware of the importance of keep- 

 ing his grass and hay as free from dew and water as possible. 

 An exposure to rain washes out much of the soluble constitu- 

 ents of the grass, leaving a useless, brittle, woody fibre. Grass 

 and hay are greatly injured by remaining too long under a hot 

 sun without being turned. A somewhat different method is 

 adopted for 



Clover. — The natural grasses when cut for hay are generally 

 spread and dried as rapidly as possible, in order to secure them 

 in the best manner. Experience has proved that the same 

 method is not applicable to the clover crops. It requires a 

 longer time to cure it properly, and if exposed to the scorching 

 sun it is injured even more than the natural grasses, since 

 its succulent leaves and tender blossoms are quickly browned 

 and lose their sweetness in a measure, and are themselves 

 liable to be wasted in handling over. Most good farmers, 

 therefore, prefer to cure it in the cock. A practical farmer of 

 long experience in Worcester county says : " I prefer to mow 

 clover when it is dry, free from dew ; let it wilt, and the same 

 day it is mown fork it into cocks which will weigh from forty 

 to fifty weight when fit for the barn. Do not rake and roll it,^ 

 that process will compress it too much. 



" According to the weather and my convenience I let it stand 

 — it will settle and turn the rain very well, and will answer to 

 put into the mow while the heads and stalks are yet green and 

 fresh. When fit to cart, the stalks although green, will be 

 found to be destitute, or nearly so, of sap — the sap has candied 

 and the clover will keep. On the day of carting turn the cocks 

 over, expose tlie bottom to the sun an hour or so, and to a ton 

 of hay add four to six quarts of salt in the mow. 



" Good clover — not rank — cured in this way, I consider to 



