GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 239 



readily and showing a preference for it when given a choice of the two kinds. &quot; Never dry 

 hay so as to make it brittle when twisted in the hand,&quot; is a rule by which many of our best 

 farmers are governed. 



Hay should be housed on the day of cutting, if possible. Our experience in this respect 

 goes to show that one good hay-day is sufficient for drying any kind of grass, unless it be, 

 perhaps, wet meadow or swale hay, which requires more curing to keep well than most other 

 varieties; however, many farmers have good success in keeping the latter in fine condition 

 when put in the barn the same day of mowing. Of course much depends upon the kind of 

 temperature, state of the atmosphere, etc., in curing any grass, even on a bright, sunny day. It 

 is, therefore, very difficult to lay out any definite rule with respect to the time required to cure 

 hay, as any farmer knows that on some days twenty-five minutes of sun will dry it more 

 effectually than sixty minutes will at other times with a full sunshine. The wind has much 

 to do with the drying process. In New England, the north or east wind will not assist the 

 drying of hay much, while a west or southwest wind hastens it very perceptibly. Grass 

 should never be dried any more than just to have it keep well in the mow, the greener and 

 have it keep well the better, as it contains by far more nutrition and hence more value for 

 stock food than that which is dried longer. Some experience in testing and experimenting 

 will be necessary to determine just when this point of curing is reached. The extensive 

 use of mowing-machines, and the degree of perfection that has been attained in their con 

 struction is such, that much of the hard labor attending haying in former times is obviated, 

 besides facilitating the process of curing and getting it housed before the dew begins to fall. 

 Of course, no good farmer will expose his hay to either dew or rain when it can be avoided, 

 as the nutritive properties of grass are all soluble in either, and will be wasted by such 

 exposure. Hay exposed to a long rain is almost as worthless as straw, since a large portion 

 of its nutritive elements will have thus been extracted, leaving only the woody fiber. 



Among the many fine mowing-machines at present in the market, that are so admirably 

 adapted to the purpose of their construction, it is difficult to determine which should take the 

 precedence in favor with farmers. The McCormick Iron Mower, manufactured in Chicago 

 by the firm that bears its name, and the New Buckeye Mower by the Aultman & Miller Co., 

 Akron, Ohio, of both of which we give illustrations, may be named among the first-class imple 

 ments of this kind, as they do most excellent work, and are strong and durable. 



With all the modern facilities, the old adage, &quot;Make hay while the sun shines,&quot; is as true 

 now, and as important to be observed, as it was in the days of our forefathers. &quot;We do not 

 advocate the practice of many farmers of cutting grass on cloudy days, thus running the risk 

 of rain to follow. The time thus gained in the haying process, although it may seem economy 

 in that respect, is generally more than offset by damage or loss to the hay crop. One of our 

 leading New England farmers, in eastern Massachusetts, gives his method of curing hay 

 thus : 



&quot; I am convinced that in most parts of New England our English hay should be cut and 

 stored, if the weather allow, before the seed has set; commencing to cut with the mowing- 

 machine as soon certainly as the dew is off. One man should be occupied trimmii^g around 

 the walls, trees, etc. At eleven o clock commence turning with forks or tedder, and lose no 

 time until mid-day, when by this process it will become wilted. In this way we can begin, 

 if the grass has been properly tedded, to cart into the barn as soon as one o clock, always 

 taking care to have help enough to finish carting as early as half-past four or five o clock, 

 after which the dew has fallen and renders hay unfit to be packed. By this process we allow 

 from three to four hours for the out-door curing of our crop. 



We are always careful not to put hay into our barn that has any water in it, but 

 never fear the sap if properly packed. When hay is taken from the cart or wagon it 

 should not be rolled off, and then over and over on to the different parts of the 

 mow, but it should be pitched on to the hay-mow, and evenly distributed over the 

 mow in even forkfuls, and each forkful packed and trodden upon. In this way the 



