210 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



farmers disagree. Some recommend cutting* when the grass is 

 in bloom, others when the blossoms have just fallen, others 

 when the seed is in its milky state, and others still when the 

 seeds are ripe. The advocates of the last-mentioned time are 

 few and growing beautifully less. As attention has been paid 

 to the time of cutting grass, and the observation of farmers has 

 been turned in this direction, a great change has occurred in the 

 opinion and practice on this point, and the grass of Massachu- 

 setts is probably cut a fortnight earlier now than it was ten 

 years since. Towards this result the mowing machine has 

 greatly contributed, as it enables us to finish the hay harvest 

 with great dispatcli. Still, the practice of many farmers is to 

 be dilatory in their haying, and the consequence is that they 

 lose much of the virtue of their hay. In 1856 the able and 

 efficient Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture 

 addressed a series of inquiries on the hay crop to one or more 

 farmers in each town in the State, and this question was asked 

 among others : " At what stage of growth do you prefer to cut 

 grass to make into hay ? " Answers were received from more 

 than two hundred towns, and those from a hundred and fifty 

 towns, about three-fourths of the whole, a majority sufficient to 

 overcome any veto, were in favor of cutting Timothy and red- 

 top when in full bloom, and red clover when about half the 

 heads are in blossom. This, we think, is the true theory ; but 

 we fear the practice, though greatly improved of late years, is 

 not up to the theory. Grass passes so rapidly from the blos- 

 soming stage to that of mature seed, that before we are aware 

 the virtues of the plant are concentrated in the seed, and the 

 stalks and leaves become dry, hard and indigestible woody fibre. 

 Some argue that cattle love this dry fodder, and that there is 

 more nourishment in it than in its green, succulent state. If 

 so, why do not the instincts of cattle lead them to eat it when 

 roving in the pastures and acting their option as to what they 

 they will eat. All must have observed that when in any locality 

 in a pasture the grass has gone to seed, cattle avoid it, and 

 nothing but starvation will induce them to eat such grass. The 

 instincts of cattle are a pretty sure guide — certainly as likely to 

 be correct as the abstract reasonings of the minority of men. 



The true principle in haying we think is to secure the hay at 

 a time when we can harvest the largest amount that shall be 



