336 [Assembly 



June 20, 1843. 



Mr. Houghton, of Rahway, in the Chair. H. Meigs, Secretary. 



Mr. Chairman. — I was led into the habit of curing clover hay 

 with straw, in Vermont, some years ago, by the scarcity and high 

 price of salt. One season I had a large quantity of straw and clo- 

 ver, and it would have cost me fifteen or twenty dollars for salt 

 enough for it. I thought then that if instead of using a peck of 

 salt per ton, I should make my mow of layers alternately of straw 

 and clover, it would do. I therefore put on the b^rn floor a layer of 

 closer about six inches thick, then on that a layer of straw of about 

 one inch, and so on the whole. I found that both straw and clover 

 were relished by my cattle; that the hay was at least as good as any 

 cured by salt, and I have no doubt ray clover would have spoiled 

 without the layers of straw. 



Mr. Van Wyck. — What effect did you ascribe to the straw? Did it 

 absorb moisture, in consequence of its being dry? 



Chairman. — That was my reason for doing it. 



Mr. Seba Smith.— Did not the layers of straw serve in some mea- 

 sure to ventilate the hay? 



Chairman. — I think it did, for some time after the mow was made. 

 When I came to foddering I cut all through the layers with a hay 

 knife, instead of pitching it off loose. 



I cut that clover in fine dry weather. I left it two days in the 

 sun. I had boys to follow the mowers and spread the clover as fast 

 as it was cut, — cut after the dew was off. I think that my cattle 

 liked that hay better than they did the salted hay. 



Mr. Meigs. — Any method by which a small percentage of our vast 

 hay crop is saved, is of great importance, — that crop being more 

 than a hundred millions of dollars : equal to two or three cotton 

 crops. 



Mr. Van Wyck. — And the chairman's method saves not only the 

 hay and the salt, but the hay is the better for it. 



Mr. Seba Smith. — Did you use Mr. Chairman, rye or wheat straw? 



