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NEW ENGLAND FAEjVIER. 



LlAEcn 



seed put into it, and whether they shall attempt 

 to raise v/beat any further than they can 

 manure the soil. They need an interchange 

 of views and experience on these and other 

 points belonging to this subject. But at pres- 

 ent, "with all due regard to the views of our 

 correspondent, we are disposed to think that 

 New England farmers will settle this question, 

 each for himself, quite as well as by a con- 

 vention. Still, we shall be glad to see the far- 

 mers in convention to discuss this among 

 other questions. Great good would undoubt- 

 edly grow out of it. We shall heartily sec- 

 ond our State Boards of Agriculture in any 

 judicious plan they may suggest for awakening 

 a new interest, and getting the opinions of the 

 farmers. 



■WEIGHT OF HAlf. 



One of the most striking circumstances in 

 the effect of a drought on the weight of hay 

 may be seen in almost any hay mow at the 

 present time, especially if it has not already 

 been consumed. It affords the farmer an in- 

 structive lesson, and establishes a very impor- 

 tant principle in the cutting and curing of hay. 



It will be recollected that the last spring 

 was an unusually wet one. Farmers did not 

 get their planting done till late into June. 

 This was followed by warm weather without 

 the usual cold nights at that season. Grass 

 grew rapidly and promised an abundant crop. 

 During the month of July we had the hottest 

 weather ever recorded. The effect on the 

 grass crop was averse to consolidation of the 

 juices that serve to make a crop with hard and 

 solid stalks with the juices well-formed and 

 dried. We well remember how green and 

 lively the hay looked as we gathered it into 

 the barn during the hot week. But if we ex- 

 amine that hay to-day we find the stalks are of 

 exceeding loose texture, they are slender and 

 flat. The round solid stalk is wanting. Cat- 

 tle and horses will eat a large quantity of it. 

 For milch cows and young cattle and horses it 

 is no doubt excellent, and they will eat more 

 of it than is actually necessary for them. It 

 probably takes well nigh one-half more in bulk 

 of such hay to carry along the cattle and horses 

 than when hay is well ripened. These tacts 

 are observed, we presume, by every farmer in 

 the State, the present winter. 



This condition of things, it will be per- 

 ceived, is the result of a sudden change from 

 moist, warm weather to dry, hot weather. 

 The stalks could not ripen well under such 

 circumstances. To ripen well, it is especially 

 necessary that the process should be a slow 

 one, and this can be accomplished only after 

 a long, wet spring, followed by a gradual 

 drought. The saccharine juices are then ma- 



tured and hardened. For working cattle and 

 horses such hay is far the best. To give them 

 such hay as most of us have, is much like giv- 

 ing a lumberman sponge cake for his dinner, 

 iustead of Lis pork and beans. For a farrow 

 cow we should always like some early cut hay, 

 even if it took more of it, but for a solid, 

 durable quality, let the juices be partially 

 hardened before cutting. The second bloom 

 is probably the best time, and is generally re- 

 cognized by farmers. 



A careful observation of the past season in 

 Its effects on the hay crop affords an instruc- 

 tive and striking lesson. Economy in its use 

 will certainly be necessary or many farmers 

 will be compelled to buy hay the coming 

 spring. Winter set in very early. In the 

 northwest portions of the State it»has been 

 constant sleighing since the eighth of Novem- 

 ber. Two years ago sheep were not brought 

 to the barn till the tenth of December. Dur- 

 ing the last month the sun did not cause the 

 snow to yield but one day in the same vicinity, 

 a circumstance almost without a parallel. We 

 think that most of the hay cut last year may 

 be measured out to stock without their suffer- 

 ing essentially. This is a matter requiring 

 careful judgment. Give them one-thii-d more 

 in bulk than we usually have given them and 

 we are sure they will not suffer. — Me. Farmer. 



Remarks. — Farmers in other sections who 

 commenced feeding their stock earlier than 

 usual the present season, are making the same 

 complaints as to the spending quality of hay. 

 Mr. C Horace Hubbard of Springfield, Vt., 

 says in the Record and Farmer that "Many a 

 thoughtful farmer, who watches his hay-mows 

 as well as his cattle and sheep, will notice that 

 the hay disappears with unprecedented rapid- 

 ity. The hay is 'very bulky,' but a forkful 

 of it is light. The truth of the matter is that 

 the value of the hay crop of Vermont the 

 past season is less than usual, by a large per 

 cent." He agrees with the Maine Farmer as 

 to the cause, and adds that the English grain 

 filled badly, and in many cases the straw 

 rotted in the field before or after cutting. In 

 view of the necessity of the closest economy 

 in the use of all kinds of fodder, he suggests 

 that experiments be made in cutting and 

 steaming, particularly corn stalks, straw, &c. 



— At a late meeting of the Herkimer County, 

 N. Y., Fanners' Club, Mr. Whitmarf-h spoke of a 

 worm quite destructive to fruit trees that he had 

 never seen before. It had a lion-shaped head, and 

 when disturljcd seemed to resent it by drawing 

 itself up UTid shaking its head. It is larger than 

 the common apple tree caterpillar. 



