1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



513 



THE NEW MODE OF CUKING HAY. 

 This new mode is by cutting the grass, get- 

 ting it into the barn and storing it away on the 

 same day. The process varies a little with 

 ditl'erent persons, but is mainly as follows : — 



In the first place, it ought to be stated, that 

 the grass is left until it arrives, in condition, | 

 to what is called the second bloom ; that is, 

 we suppose, when the latest of the blossoms 

 are out. If cut earlier it is too full «f juices 

 to be easily cured by the new process. The 

 true time would usually be from the lOth to 

 the loth of July. 



The mowing is done in the morning, after 

 the dew is completely off. Let it lie until 

 about 1 o'clock, and then commence to rake 

 and haul in, beginning where the mowing be- 

 gan, and so continue until that day's mowing 

 is finished. This is stowed away in the bay, 

 and the same process continued until the bay 

 is filled. As it takes about twenty-four hours 

 for fermentation to take place, the hay put on 

 from day to day receives no injury from this 

 cause. The top is then covered some eigh- 

 teen inches thick with old, dry hay or straw. 

 This absorbs the moisture given off by the 

 heating process, and leaves the hay bright and 

 sweet. 



Such is the new mode of harvesting the 

 grass crop. If it is a good one, it would save 

 nearly or quite one-half of the labor hereto- 

 fore required in securing it. It would save 

 the time spent in cocking, in opening and 

 shaking- out the cocks, in covering them with 

 caps, in tumbling them up for loading, and 

 raking up the scatterings which they leave. 

 It would save labor in tedding or turning the 

 grass, and be far easier to load hay in windy 

 weather, though somewhat heavier pitching on 

 and off the wagon. 



That hay has been, and still can be cured in 

 this way, we have no doubt. At a public 

 meeting in Lewiston, Maine, a dozen persons, 

 •well known in the community, and whose 

 statements were received as facts, said they 

 had practiced the process stated above with 

 success. One of them, Capt. Taylor, of Win- 

 throp, gave minute details of his hay-making 

 for ten years in succession, and after all his 

 experience, stated that grass cured by Avilting 

 only, and then stowed in large quantities in 

 tight barns, is worth twenty-five per cent. 

 more than grass made into hay in the old way . 

 2 



Several other persons, however, stated that 

 they had "tried the new way," and found it a 

 failure, some to the extent of the entire loss 

 of their hay. 



We shall be glad to get reports of further 

 ex])eriments in the modes of curing hay ; and 

 in this connection would thank our valued cor- 

 respondent in Maine for his suggestions on 

 page 380 of the August number. 



Politicians in Farmers' Fairs. — In an arti- 

 cle written some years ago by Judge Potter, and 

 recently republished in the Mirror and Farmer, it 

 is claimed that the first fair ever held in this coim- 

 tiy was at Londonderry, N. H., one hundred and 

 tweuty-nine years ago; that in 1719 the tirst Iri&li 

 potatoes ever raised in America grew in this tomi, 

 and the first exhibition of them was made in 1722, 

 and that the first premium in America for Merino 

 sheep was awarded by the "Deny Fair." 



The writer closes by a reference to more modern 

 fairs, and says : — 



After 1807 and 1808 fairs began to be holden in 

 other sections of the country, but the dilHculties 

 with England and the war of 1812, 1813 and 1814 

 checked their frequency and usefulness. After the 

 war had closed, greater attention was paid to agri- 

 culture, and societies were formed in mof~t of the 

 counties in the State, and were continued for some 

 j^cars with decided benefit to all interests of the 

 ytate. A "Board of Agriculture" was estalilished, 

 and the results of their lat)ors were given to the 

 puWic through the AgrlcvJtural liepositoru. But 

 the usefulness of these soL'ieties was of short dura- 

 tion. Various causes operated to make them un- 

 popular, the principal of which was that they be- 

 came identified u-ith the parti/ politics of the daij, 

 through the ill-advised^ scheming of politieiujis. 



Farmers' Cluijs. — A member of a Farmers' 

 Club in Evanston, 111., which, in addition to the 

 usual exercises of such associations,, has an agent 

 who contracts directlj' with manufacturers for 

 such implements and tools as the members of the 

 society need, and who also advises and assists in 

 marketing grain and produce, M-rites to the Prairie 

 Farmer that already more has been saved in this 

 way in a single season than it will cost to belong to 

 the club a life time, and concludes by sa^-ing : — 



It seems strange that farmers all over the coun- 

 try will not take" the matter in hand and deal mu- 

 tually together, and work for each others lienefit. 

 Mucii can be saved every year in buying imple- 

 ments in this way, or in selling grain or other pro- 

 duce. Besides, there can lie much valuable infor- 

 mation gained Ijy thesi fri 'ndly talks about how 

 we tarm", and how we ( ug it to farm. Farmers, it 

 is greatly to your inter^.•^c to organize Clubs for 

 your mutual benefit. Try it and see for yourselves. 



Butter Making. — The editor of the St. Albans 

 Messenger after giving some account of the farm of 

 W. H. McAllister, of West Enosburg, Vt., who 

 keeps about fortj^ cows, says : — 



He churns once in two days, works the butter 

 very little on taking out of the churn, puts a layer 



