MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



33 



dinarily. The second and third crops come on evenly, 

 so that all the grass is practically at the same stage 

 when cut ; but the first crop is liable to be very irreg- 

 ular, and much of it will therefore have to be cut be- 

 fore it heads out in order to avoid ripe seed in the more 

 advanced plants. The time to cut this grass is when 

 the earliest portions of the field begin to bloom. Wild 

 oats should also be cut while in bloom. In the case of 

 timothy and most common grasses we are not bothered 

 with weedy character, and can therefore give our whole 

 attention to the quality and yield of hay. 



Horses prefer timothy cut when the seed is well 

 formed but not fully ripe. As this class of stock is 

 unfavorably affedled by laxative feeds, late cut tim- 

 othy is also preferred for them on account of its favor- 

 able effect on the digestive tradl. In the case of cattle, 

 laxative feed is rather to be preferred. Cattle also 

 relish timothy better when it is cut rather green. 

 Hence, for cattle, timothy should be cut about the 

 time it is in blossom. Any time from a day or two 

 before the ' ' first bloom ' ' till a day or two after the 

 " second bloom " will answer. (For the meaning of 

 first and second bloom, see Chapter VI.) The yield 

 will be slightly larger at the later stage. 



Orchard-grass loses its palatability very rapidly 

 after blooming, and should always be cut within a day 

 or two after the blooming period is past. Brome-grass, 

 which is becoming an important grass in this country, 

 retains its palatability until the seed is dead ripe. 

 Even the straw from which the ripe seed has been 

 threshed is eaten readily by both cattle and horses. It 

 therefore has a considerable season during which it 



