378 



NEW ENGLAND FARIVIER. 



Aug. 



opens up a quicker cash return for hay than can 

 be olnaincd l)y loeciing it out. Straw "and otlier 

 coarse I'eed, witli a little corn or some kind of roots 

 do quite well for the stock which is intendetl to be 

 kept. Of these materials many of the farmers 

 have a lar^c supply, which a few years ago were 

 of little use, but can now be run through the stock 

 and tiieir value much increased ever}' way. 



Under this view, perhaps, it is admissible for 

 our farmers to make up the deficiency by the in- 

 troduction of foreign manures, providing they have 

 husbanded the resources of the farm, or, if not, if 

 it will stimulate them to set about so doing at 

 once. 



The formers of this part of Maine let much ma- 

 nure go to waste in the days of her early settle- 

 ment, from many causes ; but a favorable sign of 

 the times is, that year by year, uninviting portions 

 of our liillsidcs are left to clothe themselves again 

 in their natural haliiliinents, while the better por- 

 tions are more carefully oniaracnted as well as 

 cultivated. Hence, the beauties of nature and the 

 embellishments of art are continually springing up 

 side by side, in new places, and with new charms 

 for the beholder. 0. W. True. 



Farmihgton, Me., June 9, 1S71. 



SEASON AND CROPS IN AVASHINGTON COt'NTY, VT. 



We had a slight frost last night in low places. 

 Vegetation looks well, although it is quite dr_y. 

 Our hay must be light, an}' way. The currant 

 worm attacked my bushes the last week m May, 

 and I applied the poke, as I did last year, and 

 cleaned them perfectly clear. My bushes now 

 promise well for a good crop. Some of my neigh- 

 bors have lost theirs b}^ last year's neglect, but 

 those who tried the poke or hellebore saved their 

 bushes. I would say to all lovers of the fruit it 

 will pay to save your bushes. e. vv. o. 



Montj)elier, Vi., June 10, 1871. 



THE HAY CHOP. 



On page .SG5 of this number, we had an arti- 

 cle upon the importance of this crop to New 

 England farmers, and gave some reasons why 

 grass makes more and better hay when cut 

 just as the seed is formed than when it is al- 

 lowed to stand until the seed is nearly or quite 

 matured. A reference to two or three other 

 points in regard to tlie grass crop v/ill be sea- 

 sonable and is of importance. After speak- 

 ing of the value of the crop, and the best 

 time to cut it, the next item for consideration 

 seems to be, — 



How Shall it be Ctired P 



In order to retain all the valuable proper- 

 ties of the grass, the operation of curing it is 

 just as important as it is to observe minute 

 details in curing beef or ham for our tables, 

 or in preparing tlie delicate preserves of plums, 

 peaches, strawberries and otlier fi'uits. Cur- 

 ing the hay is a process of cooking it, so that 

 it will retain its good (Qualities, and can be pre- 

 served with them for an indefinite time. It is 

 one thing to cure grass, and another thing to 

 dry it. 



Within our recollection, the hope of the far- 

 mer was that he might have unclouded, hot 

 days, successively, during the haying season. 

 We need both now, — but more attention to 

 the effect of exposure of grass to two or three 

 such days has convinced us that grass can be 

 cured with very little exposure to a bright, hot 

 sun. 



Cut herdsgrass, then, when the blossom is 

 just passing out. It has reached its full growth 

 at this time, is still tender, and now develops 

 its sugar. We present a single fact, stated by 

 not only a scientific man, but a most observing 

 farmer, in order to settle this matter of the 

 time of cutting, as far as possible. 



In the Boston Journal of Chemistry, Dr. 

 Nichols, the editor, says that he had one 

 acre of grass, redtop and clover, that was cut 

 June 19, and the hay stored by itself. On the 

 first of last March he put his herd of ten cows 

 upon it, and the immediate increase in the flow 

 of milk amounted to ten quarts per day. The 

 hay fed to them before was of the same vari- 

 ety but cut after the middle of July. The 

 early cut hay "spent" fully as well as the later 

 cut, no more of it was consumed, and the Dr. 

 estimates that the money value of the product 

 from this hay, fed to ten cows, was greater by 

 near a dollar a day than that from the other. 



Cut as much grass as tlie force employed 

 can comfortably handle. If it lies in swaths, 

 as left by the hand scythe, or left in bunches 

 by the machine, spread it evenly and leave it 

 exposed to sun and air until it is thoroughly 

 wilted. This will require from three to five 

 or six hours. By this time the water in the 

 grass will have pretty much escaped, leaving 

 its juices holding in solution the valuable qual- 

 ities of the grass, and in themselves not spoil- 

 ing but keeping the hay soft and pliant. 

 When in this condition, make and cock the 

 hay while it is warm, which should be done as 

 early as four or five o'clock. If covered with 

 caps — which will sometimes pay for themselves 

 in a single season — the cocks may remain two 

 nights. After the dew is off, on the third day 

 shake out the cocks, leave the hay to sun and 

 air for three or four hours, and then get it in. 



AVe say above shake out the cocks. This is 

 an important operation, especially if the hay 

 has been gathered by a horse rake. Turning 

 the cocks over, or removing them, a forkful 

 at a time, and laying it upon the ground, does 



