154 WHAT I KNOW OF FARMING. 



merit, which no chemistry can ever restore. Hay 

 alone is dry fodder for a long Winter, especially for 

 young stock; but hay cut after it was dead ripe, is 

 proper nutriment for no animal whatever not even 

 for old horses, who are popularly supposed to like and 

 thrive upon it. 



The fact that our farmers are too generally short- 

 handed throughout the season of the Summer harvest, 

 while it seems to explain the error I combat, renders 

 it none the less disastrous and deplorable. I estimate 

 the depreciation in the value of our hay-crop, by 

 reason of late cutting, as not less than one-fifth ; and, 

 when we consider that a full half of our farmers turn 

 out their cattle to ravage and poach up their fields in 

 quest of fodder a full month earlier than they should, 

 because their hay is nearly or quite exhausted, the 

 consequences of this error are seen to diffuse them- 

 selves over the whole economy of the farm. 



From the hour in which grass falls under the Mower, 

 it ought to be kept in motion until laid at rest in the 

 stack or the barn ; keep stirring it with the tedder until 

 it is ready to be raked into light winrows, and turn 

 these over and over until they will answer to go upon 

 the cart. In any bright, hot day, the grass mowed in 

 the morning should be stacked before the dew falls 

 at night ; while, if any is mowed after noon, it should 

 be cocked and capped by sunset, even though it be 

 necessary to open it out the next fair morning. 



I have a dream of hay-making, especially with re- 



