270 MANAGEMENT OF MEADOWS. 



reason why some defer the cutting to so late a date, and that 

 is, it will not lose so much waier, and consequently will be 

 heavier and so bring more mo ley. 



A good authority says, "I c it in the blossom when the 

 hay is designed for milch cow.- , or for fattening beeves, be- 

 cause in that state it makes more beef, and induces the, cows 

 to give more milk ; but if for >vork stock, horses or oxen, I 

 cut six days later, or thereabouts, because it does not scour 

 or loosen the animal so much : s when cut in the blossom." 

 In either case, however, in ,n extensive crop, if the har- 

 vesting begins at the blossomng period, it will be six days 

 before it is finished. 



It is very evident if the hay is cut after the ripening of 

 the seeds, the leaves will have out little sustenance, and the 

 stems will be only woody i ore, the nutritive elements 

 having nearly all gone to the -ieed. It is the testimony of 

 most farmers that the rowen -r the afterneath is better for 

 milcn cows, and for fattening , urposes than the first cut- 

 ting, which goes to prove thai the earlier period, that is, at 

 blossoming, is the best, from lie fact that the season gener- 

 ally compels the farmer to cut the rowen before the grass is 

 past the time of blossoming. 



Another reason for not all wing the grass to mature the 

 seed, is, that the meadow will ooner run out. When the 

 seed forms, the vitality of the ^rass becomes impaired, and 

 it falls a victim much easier to either excessive cold or heat. 

 It is the disposition of all v getation to die after it has 

 made provision for perpetuatit .i, and those grasses that have 

 perennial roots are the exception to the rule, but all partake 

 more or less of this princiu e. And besides it creates a 

 heavier draft upon the soil thiui if cut sooner. 



Some exceptions exist in regard to some of the meadow 

 grasses in the list, as will be s^en by referring to the table 

 at the end of this chapter. This refers only to some 

 of the coarser grasses, not in y eneral use in Tennessee. For 

 instance, if the "Means" grasb is allowed to even blossom, 



