PROCEEDINaS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. S5 



this particular stage, it retained its color and never turned black 

 at the joints ; but if cut previous to this stage, the latter would be 

 the case, with loss of weight ; and that if cnt at the time indicated 

 by him, you would have much more hay in weight, a matter of great 

 moment to those cultivating it on a large scale." 



Mr. Solon Eobinson. — It is not Kentucky farmers alone who 

 maintain these various opinions. They prevail all over the United 

 States. I do not recollect, during the quarter of a century of my 

 residence at the west, ever seeing afield of timothy cut until a por- 

 tion at least the seed had become ripe enough to grow. It was 

 then contended as a necessity for preventing the field running out; 

 the scattered seed constantly renewing the plants. I have fre- 

 quently heard farmers there assert that three mowings of green 

 timothy would kill it dead. Many farmers made it a point to let 

 the grass stand until nearly all of the seed was ripe, so they could 

 save it upon the barn-floor while foddering out the hay. A great 

 many also contended that the ripe seed was worth more for cattle, 

 and particularly for horses, than hay made of the grass cut green. 

 They also contended that the straw was no more injured for fod- 

 der hj ripening its grain than was the straw of oats or wheat. It 

 is very certain that timothy left to stand until it is ripe may be 

 cured for hay at much less expense than when cut green. My 

 own practice was to sow it twice as thick as was there usual, put- 

 ting a peck or more seed to the acre, which made the straw grow 

 fine; and I then let it stand until the lower half of the heads were 

 generally ripe, and some of the most forward ones entirely so. It 

 was then easily cured, and I thought made good hay, and gave me 

 all the seed required for future use, by saving the scattered chaff 

 every morning where the hay Avas thrown from the mow. 



It is perhaps equally important that we should discuss the 

 proper time for cutting other varieties of grass and clover. We 

 hope, before it is time to cut either, we may have the opinions of 

 a number of practical farmers upon this subject. 



Col. Henry said the reason why Long Island farmers cut their 

 timothy in bloom is because the hay suits city purchasers. For 

 his part, from careful observation, he believed such hay is not 

 worth as much by fifty per cent, as it is when made from grass 

 which has reached a more mature state. It is with timothy much 

 as it is with sorgo cane, if that is too immature it will not make 

 sugar, and but pooi- molasses. Such grass is sappy, the hay is 

 much less nutritive, does not contain the fiesh-making qualities 



