GRASS AND HAY 207 



danger of molding or spoiling in any way unless under very un- 

 favorable conditions. 



It is evident that between the two extreme methods of entirely 

 curing the hay before putting it up and of putting it into the cock 

 while very green there are many intermediate variations in practice. 

 The individual farmer will adapt such of these methods to nis crops 

 and climatic conditions as his own experience and circumstances 

 warrant. (F. B. 246.) 



GRASSES OP SALT MARSHES. 



No one who has traveled along the shores of New England and 

 the Middle States can fail to have noticed the numerous hive-shaped 

 stacks of hay thickly scattered over the extensive marshes which 

 border these coasts. The character of this hay and the elements of 

 which it is composed can not fail to be of interest, for they are wholly 

 unlike those of other regions ; and the hay itself, while less valuable 

 than that usually found in our markets, serves many a useful pur- 

 pose and forms a very important item of local trade. In olden times 

 the products of the salt marshes were not forgotten by the coast 

 dwellers of New England in their annual acknowledgment of bless- 

 ings bestowed by Providence, when thanks were returned upon the 

 day which is now one of national observance. The area of the salt 

 and tide-water marshes bordering the ocean and gulf coasts of the 

 United States is roughly estimated at from 6.000,000 to 7,000,000 

 acres. A considerable portion of this, particularly along the river 

 banks of the Southern States, is beyond the reach of salt water, and 

 possesses a different vegetation from that which comes under the 

 direct influence of the sea and which alone is considered here. The 

 hay product of the marshes varies from half a ton to a ton or more 

 per acre, and is harvested at any time from June to December, little 

 attention being paid to the time of blooming of the grasses of which 

 it is composed. When the marshes are firm enough to allow the 

 use of machinery, the grass is cut with a mower, but in many cases 

 this is impracticable and the cutting is done by hand. Occasionally 

 it is necessary to take advantage of very low tides to carry on the 

 operation of harvesting. After being cut the hay is raked, and if 

 it can not be dried upon the marsh it is carried to the adjoining 

 uplands, and there spread out to cure. More frequently it is stacked 

 upon the marsh and hauled away during the winter season when the 

 lands are frozen. The hay is taken to the stacks in various ways. 

 One method, observed on the coast of Maine, was this : The hay was 

 cut and then raked up into small bundles ; two poles were run under 

 these bundles, and then the hay was carried to the stack and placed 

 upon it. In this particular case the hay was cut upon shares, the 

 harvester being allowed two stacks out of three for doing the work. 



This hay, the value of which was given at $5 per ton, was 

 designed in part to be used for fodder and litter, and in part to be 

 sold in Portland for packing glassware and crockery. This latter 

 is a very common use of salt hay in the vicinity of all the larger sea- 

 port towns, immense quantities of it being used in New York City 

 for this purpose; the fine, and rather stiff, wiry stems of the grasses 



