116 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



for a short time. These should be placed in a rotation, 

 which never assigns more than two years to grass. 



Time for cutting Grass. This must depend on the kinds 

 of grass cultivated. We have seen, that Timothy affords 

 nearly double the quantity of nutriment, if cut after the seed 

 has formed, instead of while in flower, arid it is then much 

 more relished by horses and a portion of the stock. Timo- 

 thy therefore should never be cut for them, until after the 

 seed has filled. The proper time for harvesting, is between 

 the milk and dough sfate, when it will nearly ripen after 

 cutting. Orchard grass, on the other hand, although pos- 

 sessing two-sevenths more nutritive value for hay in the 

 seed, yet as it is more tender, and much preferred by stock 

 when cut in flower, and as it continues to grow rapidly 

 afterwards, should be always cut at that time. Even a 

 few days will make an important difference in the value of 

 grass, when cut for hay. The kind of grass, and the stock 

 to which it is to be fed, cannot, therefore, be too closely no- 

 ted, to detect the precise moment when the grass will best 

 subserve the purpose for which it is intended. 



Curing Grass. Many farmers do not consider the scorch- 

 ing effects of our cloudless July suns, and the consequence 

 is, that hay is too much dried in this country. Unless the 

 grass be very thick and heavy, it will generally cure suffi- 

 ciently, when exposed in the swath for two days. When 

 shook or stirred out, it should not remain in this condition 

 beyond the first day, or it will thus lose much of its nutri- 

 tive juices ; nor should dew or rain be permitted to fall upon 

 it, unless in cocks. It is better, after partially drying, to ex- 

 pose it for three or four days in this way, and as soon as 

 properly cured, place it under cover. It is a good practice, 

 to salt hay when put up, as it is thus secured against damage 

 from occasional greenness ; and there is no waste of the 

 salt, as it serves the double object after curing the hay, of 

 furnishing salt to the cattle and the manure heap. 



There is a loss of available, nutritive matter, in the ordi- 

 nary mode of curing hay, which is obvious to every care- 

 ful feeder. /This is conspicuously evident, in the dimin- 

 ished quantity of milk yielded by cows, when taken from 

 the pasture and put upon the hay made from grass, similar 

 to that before consumed. To what this difference is owing, 

 is not yet fully ascertained ; but it is undoubtedly the result 

 of several causes combined. 



The tender, succulent grass, in the process of excessive 



