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THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



Any plant that is cropped at a certain time, before arriving at a state of maturity, will 

 throw up a second growth more readily and be more vigorous than if cropped after it has 

 matured. This is a law of nature that cannot escape the notice of any person, even the most 

 unobserving. Now, if we apply this rule to grass-cutting, we shall not only have better hay, 

 as we have already seen, but the aftergrowth will start more vigorously and grow more rapidly, 

 which will not only protect the young and tender grass roots from the hot sun, but will furnish 

 an aftermath or &quot;rowen,&quot; as it is often called, which will be quite an addition to the 

 hay crop already gathered, while a third crop will soon start and grow sufficient, before the 

 frost comes, to secure the roots a protection through the winter; this protection aiding in an 

 early growth in the spring. It is a fact that all experience corroborates, that grass will not 

 only start earlier in the spring, after a protection, whether of top-dressing or its own after 

 math, but will produce a greater amount of hay the following season than where no pro 

 tection is thus given. Cutting grass after the seeds have matured, leaves a dry stubble that 

 is slow in starting again, and will look brown during the remaining part of the season, 

 unless the soil is particularly rich or damp, while it will not produce as much hay in quantity 

 or as good in quality in the following season, as the fields that are early cut. Thus we see 

 that the present practice of early cutting is an improvement upon the old-time method, in 

 securing not only a larger amount of hay, but hay of a better quality, and also leaves the 

 land in a condition to furnish a larger crop of grass the following season. 



NEW BUCKEYE MOWER. 



Respecting the cutting of grass, we believe the universal opinion among our leading 

 farmers is, that it should not be cut until the dew is well dried off, as it will then cure much 

 more readily. We think the practice of many farmers of overdrying their hay is as great an 

 injury to its quality, as that of insufficient curing; in fact, we might safely say that farmers, 

 as a general thing, lose more by drying their hay too much than by not drying it enough. 



Even under the most favorable conditions with respect to the time of cutting, there must 

 of necessity be considerable loss of the nutritive qualities of the grass in drying ; the action 

 of heat and moisture causing a loss of sugar and starch. This loss is dependent in a great 

 measure upon the length of time it is exposed to the air and light; hence, grass cured with 

 the least exposure to wind and sunlight, other conditions being equal, will be more nutritious, 

 and contain less of woody fiber, than that which is overcured by long exposure to air and 

 sun; and such hay is also more palatable to cattle, as is evidenced by their eating it more 



