Treatment of Clover. 139 



again if in debt and wishing to make money. One thing is 

 noticeable, we have never had a sick horse in all these years. 

 Neighbors have lost quite a number of grain fed ones. One 

 reason why I will not recommend the practice, is that many 

 would not have such hay, and leaving off the grain the horse 

 would soon run down. And again, our farm is small and con- 

 tinuous hard work does not last often, more than two or three 

 weeks at a time. Many let grass or clover stand until it is past 

 its best, and then feed grain with it to make it as good as clover 

 alone, cut in time. I could not have done what I did with 

 timothy hay or timothy with a little clover in it. The horses 

 could not have readily eaten enough to get sufficient of the flesh- 

 forming substance. I have spoken of mowing two or three times 

 for hay. Nearly always the second crop cut in time makes as 

 good hay as first. Once in a while it would make horses slobber 

 some. But last year the first crop did the same. They got used 

 to it after a while, so it did not trouble them much. When the 

 weather is favorable my plan for curing is about as follows : Mow 

 in the afternoon, as the weather is clearing after a shower. Let 

 lie next day until so dry leaves begin to break off, then rake into 

 large wind rows. Turn these over with fork next day after top 

 is well dried and about noon begin drawing in. With settled 

 weather I can make good hay this way at little expense. Of 

 course, I have plenty of help at work in potato field, and if rain 

 threatens we cock up or do best we can. Once in a while in a 

 catching season, we have to cut and cock up soon as wilted, but I 

 try to avoid this, as it is costly- work. I have cocked up hun- 

 dreds of loads, and years ago bought hay caps to cover the cocks. 

 But they have not been used in eight years, I think. It is too 

 much work. If desiring to cover, I would make caps out of 

 heavy cotton cloth, six feet square, and put hay up in large cocks 

 and high, some 150 or 200 pounds in each one. Strings with a 

 loop in should be tied to corners of caps and pins made of strips 

 of shingles i^ inches wide, used to stick through loops into 

 bottom of cock to hold caps down tightly. Thus put on they will 

 stand a storm that will blow down rail fences and spread ordinary 

 cocks all over the field. Clover hay should be drawn in always 

 in the hottest part of day, say from n A. M. to 5 p. M. It 

 should be free from dew and rain entirely, and warm all through, 

 and then if put in a tight barn it will do quite green. Shut barn 

 up tightly as soon as it is all in. The steam rising from it should 

 not meet cold night air, or it will condense more, and settle back 

 into mow and injure hay. Dew begins to fall sooner at night 

 than some think as soon as the temperature begins to fall much. 

 Clover in the field will catch it readily, and will not make as 

 good hay if drawn in a little damp even. It is only by experi- 

 ence that one can make good clover hay, and not always then 

 in some seasons. Still in all these years I have never had any 



