HAY OVER-CURED. CURING CLOVER. 187 



practice over the country generally is susceptible of 

 very great improvement. The chief object is to pre- 

 serve the sweetness and succulence of grass in its 

 natural state, so far as it is possible ; and this object 

 cannot be gained by exposing it too long to the scorch- 

 ing suns and the drenching rains to which we are 

 liable in this climate. We generally try to make our 

 hay too much. 



As to the best modes of curing clover, my own 

 experience and observation accord with that of several 

 practical farmers, who write me as follows : " My 

 method of curing clover is this : What is mown in the 

 morning I leave in the swath, to be turned over early 

 in the afternoon. At about four o'clock, or while it is 

 still warm, I put it into small cocks with a fork, and, if 

 the weather is favorable, it may be housed on the 

 fourth or fifth day, the cocks being turned over on the 

 morning of the day it is to be carted. By so doing all 

 the heads and leaves are saved, and these are worth 

 more than the stems. This has been my method for 

 the last ten years. For new milch cows in the winter 

 I think there is nothing better. It will make them give 

 as great a flow of milk as any hay, unless it be good 

 rowen." Another says : " When the weather bids fair 

 to be good, I mow it after the dew is off, and cock it 

 up after being wilted, using the fork instead of rolling 

 with the rake, and let it remain several days, when it is 

 fit to put into the barn." And another : " I mow my 

 clover in the forenoon, and towards night of the same 

 day I take forks and pitch it into cocks and let it stand 

 till it cures. The day I cart it, I turn the cocks over, 

 so as to air the lower part. I then put it into the mow 

 with all the leaves and heads on, and it is as nice and 

 green as green tea. I think it worth for milch cows 

 and sheep as much per ton as English hay." And still 



