( 86) 



A good authority eays: "I cut in the blossom when the hay is 

 designed for milch cows, or for fattening beeves, because in that 

 state it makes more beef, and induces the cows to give more milk ; 

 but if for work stock, horses or oxen, I cut six days later, or there- 

 abouts, because it does not scour or loosen the animal so much as 

 when cut in the blossom." In either case, however, in an exten- 

 sive crop, if the harvesting begins at the blossoming period, it will 

 be six days before it is finished. 



The gama grass and possibly the lucerne should be cut as often 

 as it is high enough to run the mower through them, as they be- 

 come very hard, stiff and woody if they grow too rank, whereas, 

 they are, if cut in time, very sweet and nutritious. 



There is also much difference of opinion in regard to the proper 

 time for cutting clover. Some will take a stalk and tie a knot in 

 it, and if much sap exudes from it, they will leave it until it will 

 barely show moisture. Others will cut when the field is about half 

 in blossom, while still others will defer it until about half the heads 

 are brown and the seed are in a milky state. But the mass of tes- 

 timony is in favor of cutting clover when a few brown heads show 

 themselves over the field. 



It is a well known fact that just before the formation of the seed 

 there is a large per cent of sugar, starch and gluten in the stalk 

 than at any other time. When the grass first springs up it is filled 

 almost entirely with water, as any one can satisfy himself by chew- 

 ing a stem in its different periods of growth. As the plant grows 

 and matures, the water gradually becomes impregnated with these 

 substances, and at its blossoming period these elements exist in 

 their greatest quantity in fact, nature is now storing up material 

 from which to form the seed, and these stores are held ready in the 

 stalk, to effect that purpose. These elements are all soluble in 

 water, and consequently, are easily dissolved by the juices of the 

 stomach. But if these principles are allowed to go to seed, they 

 leave the stalk, and at once the plant starts on its downward course, 

 becoming more and more woody, until finally decay sets in, and 

 the hay is then worthless ; because the woody fibre is insoluble in 

 the stomach. 



Prof. Kirkland draws the following conclusions from many careful 

 observations as regards timothy : 



