MAKINd IIAY. 293 



** Purely chemical facts favor very strongly tlie idea that a 

 pound of dry substance, as existing in Timothy when in bloom, 

 is more valuable tlian a pound of dry substance at any later })e- 

 riod, in much the same way (but in a less degree) that a })ound 

 of dry substance in young pasture grass is more valuable than 

 the same quantity of material in the mature plant." 



The following opinion, based on experiments, by Prof. J. W. 

 Sanborn, of ^lissouri, dilfers from the above: Ilo compares 



cutting grass, mostly Timothy, as soon as one-fourth part of the 

 heads were in bloom, and otlur lots ten days later, when out of 

 l)loom, and after the seed had begun to nniture. After repeated 

 trials in feeding steers, and cows giving milk, he says tlie results 

 indicate, not only tliat the amount of hay gathered from a given 

 area are much larger when cut after bloom tliaii when cut in 

 bloom, but tlie late-cut liay was more nutritious. He l)elieves 

 that Timothy or clover liay, particularly tlie former, is v;ortli 

 more per pound, and for Timothy thirty-five to forty per cent, 

 more per acre, for cutting when sunicieiitly out of bloom in pref- 

 erence to cutting in bloom or before blooming. From some ex- 

 perience he concludes that this is also true of corn fodder, and 

 he is inclined to believe it is true of most vegetation. 



The writer thinks it very doubtful whether it is best to cut all 

 forage plants at the same stage of advancement. 



Most farmers, as a rule, prefer to i^ut clover when a few of the 

 first heads begin to turn brown. 



If the grass has made a pretty good growth, and the bottom is 

 not wet from damp weather, it is the safest plan to begin haying 

 early. Something will very likely interrupt so that the grass 

 last cut will be older than it should be for good hay. 



Unless the weather be favorable it is difticult to cure well a 

 thick growth of very young, succulent grass. 



When the growth is thick, some of tho lower leaves begin to 

 decay, while those at tho top are gaining. To save all tho leaves 



