CHAPTER IV 



THE A TO Z OF HAYSAVING AND HAYMAKING 



Sown at the times stated the tare hay crop should 

 be ready for cutting in early June. A certain amount 

 of judgment is required as to the exact stage of growth 

 that should be reached before cutting. If it is cut 

 too early the vetch wilts and falls into dust. If it is 

 cut too late it becomes fibrous, and the stock will not 

 readily eat it. 



The right time to cut is when the vetch seed are 

 just forming in the pods at the top of the stem. When 

 the top vetch pods have reached this stage the bottom 

 ones will be fairly well formed ; and the grain in the 

 ears of the barley, oats, or wheat will be in the milky 

 stage. If this stage of ripeness has not been quite 

 reached, the crop is bulky and fine weather obtains, 

 then it is better to take advantage of the latter and 

 proceed with the haying. 



The psychological point in connection with a vetch 

 hay crop is the saving or harvesting of the crop. It is 

 doubtful whether there is any farm operation about 

 which so little is understood by both practical and 

 scientific men as the saving of a hay crop. Practically 

 all text-books are absolutely silent on the subject, and 

 whilst there are many practical farmers who under- 

 stand the saving of hay, they do not understand the 

 underlying principle, but work on judgment based on 

 long years of experience. Any attempt to obtain 

 technica information from such men on the subject 

 is rarely successful. 



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