164 



4. Time of Cutting Herdsgrass. — I have already referred, 

 in page Oth, to the opinions of Polycarpus and Ralph Cushman, 

 of Bernardston, founded on long experience in feeding cattle 

 and horses, that herdsgrass should not be cut until it is ripe and 

 the seed perfectly matured. This conforms to the results given 

 in the experiments ordered by the Duke of Bedford to test the 

 nutritiousness of different grasses, and to ascertain the season of 

 their growth when they yield the largest amount of nutritive 

 matter. These tables may be seen appended to Davy's Agri- 

 cultural Chemistry ; and they show that much the largest 

 amount of nutriment is to be found in herdsgrass when it is 

 fully ripe. The farmers in the neighborhood of the capital are 

 accustomed to cut their herdsgrass early, when it is in early 

 flower. It has then a peculiar greenness and brightness, which 

 render it more saleable in the market ; but, if the above state- 

 ments are to be received, and they are confirmed by the experi- 

 ence of many farmers in the interior, it is less nutritive than 

 when cut in a condition of perfect ripeness. 



In general, the cutting of grass is much later in the interior, 

 and especially in the western parts of the State, than on the sea- 

 board. The farmers there are of opinion that in this way they 

 obtain more grass, and it is made into hay with much less trou- 

 ble, than when an earlier cutting is practised. In Deerfield 

 meadows, where two and sometimes three crops are to be taken 

 in a year, the first crop is necessarily mowed very early ,• and 

 the kind of grass usually obtamed there, the English bent, if 

 not mowed early, is said not to be relished by the cattle. It is 

 the opinion of several intelligent farmers, however, that many 

 of the farmers in Deerfield cut their grass too early ; and that 

 it would bo better, in many cases, to take one crop only, where 

 two are now taken. Long-established habits are changed only 

 with great difficulty and reluctance, and are to be primarily pre- 

 sumed to be founded on the sound dictates of experience — but 

 they are not always well founded. It is desirable that this point 

 should be settled by fair experiment. The question is, wheth- 

 er as much hay, by postponing the mowing and allowing the 



