136 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVAl’OR 
®l]e 0ciutl)etn iJiultiaBtor. 
AUGUSTA, GA. 
VOL. IV.. KO. 9..SKt"rJEMBE£l, 1846. 
The PresS““Ourselves. 
Our brethren of the press have recently placed 
us under such obligations for their many hind and 
flattering notices of our efforts in the cause of South- 
ern Agriculture, that we scarcely know how to relieve 
ourselves. All we can do in return for these repeated 
courtesie.s is to tender our most sincere and grateful 
acknowledgments. 
D3“The proposition of the editors of the South 
Carolinian," we accept with great pleasure. The cuts 
may be sent by railway. 
|I5= An accourit of the formation of the Monroe 
and Conecuh Agricultural Society, and the Address of 
Dr. Watkins, on being elected President, came to 
hand too late for this number of the Cultivator. 
Mr. P, Davidson’s article on “Mineral Ma- 
nures,” is also laid over for October, for the same rea- 
son. 
Col. McDouald’s Proposition. 
Just as our paper was going to press, we re- 
ceived the unwelcome intelligence of the death 
of this devoted friend of Agriculture ; an elo- 
quent tribute to whose virtues, in all the social 
relations of life, from those who knew him best, 
will be found in this number. 
This melancholy event will necessarily con- 
tract our remarks on the present occasion. We 
cannot, however, do less than call upon the 
friends of Southern Agriculture to rally to the 
support of his proposition, not less as a memento 
of Ills noble zeal in their cause, than in justice 
to themselves. Let it be carried out to the let- 
ter, and you will have cause to venerate his 
name, and your children will rise up and call 
him blessed. 
He was indeed your friend. Imitate there- 
fore his example, and make this proposition the 
crowning act of a well spent and virtuous life. 
In presenting the names of those who have 
thus early requested to be numbered among the 
THOUSAND, we should be pleased to have ac- 
companied the list with their very flattering 
and encouraging letters, but our space will not 
permit. We must therefore content ourselves 
with simply appending the list of names, plac- 
ing at the head of the column the distinguished 
mover, as a tribute to his zeal in the cause ; 
Col. a. McDonald, Eutaula, Ala. 
E. McCroan, Louisville, Geo. 
T. W. Rucker, Elberton, " 
C. Dougherty, Athens, “ 
G. B. Haygood, Watkinsville, Geo. 
Wm. T. DeWitt, Hopewell, Ala. 
H. E. Chitty, Henry Co,, Ala. 
Wm. Cunningham, Monroe Co.,, Ala., 
C. B. ZuBER, White Sulphur Springs, Geo. 
J. C. Henderson, Macon Co., Ala. 
In addition to these, John H. Newton of 
Athens assures us he willsend us one hundred 
subscribers. C. T. Wit^liams, of iSieriweiher, 
and A. Green of Greene county, promise to 
send us as -many as they can. 
W^hose name shall we enter next upon this 
listl Friends of Agriculture ! speak out! 
Hay. 
In no department of Agricultural knowledge 
are Southern Planters so far behind the age, as 
in ihat which relates to raising grass, and cut- 
ting and curing hay. Many eflorts, indeed, have 
been made to in'roduce foreign grasses, but 
nearly all have resulted in failure, partly from bad 
management, but chiefly because the grasses 
with which the e.xperiments were made, being 
natives of more northern climes, cannot with- 
stand the power of our Southern sun. In the 
memtime, everything in the shape of native 
grass has been neglected. Crab grass especial- 
ly has been an object of peculiar abhorrence — so 
much so, that, until very lately, it has been al- 
most impossible to persuade any one, that there 
is a single good quality about it for any purpose 
whatever. So too with Bermuda grass— a grass 
that in India, in the time of Sir William Jones, 
was worshipped, because it was looked upon as 
a special gift of their Deity, bestowed for the 
food of the Sacred Bull. In these Southern 
States no language has been strong enough 
wherewithal to condemn it. 
In the belief that many of the prejudices against 
these two grasses are being overcome by the in 
I fluencs of good sense ; and that our readers 
would be pleased to know how to turn both of 
them to the very best account — crab grass espe- 
cially, as it is so abundant and so luxuriant this 
year — we have copied from the Albany Cultiva- 
tor the following discusfion on the proper stage 
I for cutting grasses, and the best modes of mak- 
ing hay. Everyone of the speakers is knovrn 
! extensively as an eminent Agriculturist; and 
! living in a region where grass is the main crop, 
their opinions are entitled to great respect : 
Mr. Bement said he had formerly been in the 
habit of cutting timothy grass quite late. It was 
easier cured after it had got pretty ripe. But he 
found in using hay thus cut, that it wanted sub 
stance, and he had ascertained that the best time 
for cutting was while the grass was in blossom. 
In making clover hay, he had adopted Judge 
Duel’s plan. He thought it best not to expose it 
much to the sun. His practice was to cut in the 
morning, let it ’ay till noon, and then cock it, 
and let it swmat for two or three da vs, according 
to the state of the weather. On putting the hay 
in the barn, he had used about four quarts of 
salt to the ton. Hay thus managed, came out in 
the spring very bright . nd sweet In the ordi- 
nary way of curing clover hay, the best parts are 
wasted. 
Mr. Howard %vas aware that there were differ- 
ent opinions as to the proper stage for cutting 
grass ; but he thought the observance of certain 
principles might afford a guide in the case. For 
example, the stems of grasses were filled, just 
before the formation of the seed with a starchy 
or saccharine substance. In perfecting the seed, 
the sterns were exhausted of this substance, it 
being consumed ill forming seed. Nbw, if the 
I herbage, is tire object, the plant should be cut 
I before the nutriment has passed from the stems. 
If seed is the object, the plant must, of course, 
be allowed to attain a good degree of maturity. 
Hay made from ripe grass may ‘go further,’ or 
‘ spend better,’ as the argument is ; and it is ad- 
mitted that this may be true, for animals are less 
inclined to eat it ; but this is no proof that it is 
more nutritive. He spoke of the different modes 
of curing hay, with nearly all which he said he 
had been acquainted. Clover hay was altogeth- 
er better when cured in cock, than by any other 
mode he knew practised. All hay was better for 
undergc ing, to some extent, a sweating in the 
cock. Coarse timothy was thus rendered much 
softer, and was less sirawy . and stiff, and every 
description of hay less likely lobe' mow-burned.’ 
Mr. Betts was not in favor of mowing a great 
deal of grass while the dew is on. He was in 
the habit of spreacing the swaths as soon as the 
ground was dry, and he always had it well cock- 
ed up beiorc night. The next day, if the weath- 
er w as good, he opened it again ; if it did not dry 
enough, he put it together again ; but his ol ject 
was to get it so that it v. ould do to put it in the 
barn. He was in favor of using a little salt with 
it. He had sometimes found his hay heat too 
much in the mow. From being hurried, he had 
occasionady put a load in the barn too green. 
To stop the heat and fermentaiion w h;ch had en- 
sued in such cases, he had made holes in the hay 
with a crow bar, and scattered in salt. In this 
way he had stopped the fermentation, and saved 
his hay in very good order. 
Mr. Gaeretson, of the assembly, from F utch- 
ess county, said he generally cut from 150 to 200 
tons per year, chiefly timothy and red-top. He 
generally begun when the grass was in blossom. 
His I ethod was to cut in the morning, spread 
the swaths lightly, and in the alternoon put it in 
cocks. The next day, if the sun came out, it 
was again spread, and, if made enough, put in 
the barn with a lit tie salt sprinkled on it. About 
three quarts of salt to ihe ton w as as much as he 
used. There w’as danger of using too much.— 
He had formerly used more salt, and was satis- 
fied his animals, particularly shtep, had suffered 
by it. It occasioned scouring, and, by keeping 
their bowels out of order for some time, they died. 
He usually got about two tons to the acre. In 
the latter part of the season, it would sometimes 
make enough in one day. 
Mr Mack always directed his men to make 
hay as rapidly as possible. He had often made 
it and put in the barn in one day, and never had 
belter hay. He was always particular to secure 
from dew when it must be left over night. It is 
said by some who had much practice in making 
hay, that it is never injured 1 om its own inter- 
nal juice, but only from rain or dew. 
Mr. S,oTHAM did not like the plan of salting hay, 
neither did he like the hay that was made in one 
day. If it could be so made that it would take 
no hurt in one day, it nrust have been too dry for 
good hay before, it was cut. or els j very light 
burden. He would as soon have good bright 
straw for cows or sheep, as timothy hay altet it 
had gone to seed. He cuts clover when a part of 
it is in blossom and part in the head ; cuts all 
his grass early. It takes longer to make hay cut 
this early; but for cows, and sheep especially, it 
was a great deal better. The objection to salt- 
ing hay was that animals were forced to eat salt, 
whether they wanted it cr not, and it made sheep 
scour. His hay came out of the barn of a bright 
green color, and his stock would fatten on it. — 
There was another great advantage in cutting 
early; the roots retained their life and strength 
better, and the after feed and future crops were 
much more abundant. He did not like timothy 
for hayi; he never saw it in England; the farmers 
there thought it was too coarse and wiry for 
stock. Rye grass made good hay ; would yield 
in England two tons per acre. Pacey’s was the 
best variety. Red-top made good hay. He had 
tried sainfuin; it did not come up well; there 
was always a difficulty about it in this respect, 
because the seed was good or.ly a short time ; it 
could hardly be brought across the ocean and 
vegetate. If we could get it here it would be 
very valuable, especially for dry lands. As to 
pastuiing mowing lands, some land would not 
bear it, particularly if wet ; but he f d his dry 
lands very close, in the fall, with cattle and sheep, 
and expel ienced no damage Irom it. 
Judge Cheever said he would cut his clover 
in blossom — not sooner. He would let it t ke 
the sun one day, but not enough to have the 
leaf break off; then putit in small cocksand cure 
it, until, by a few hours’ drying, by turning over 
and bieaking the cocks, the fluids would be so 
far out cl it that it may be housed without hurt- 
ing. The length of lime necessary to cure it, 
will depend upon the state of the weather, and 
the larger or smaller growth of the crop. Upon 
this the farmer must.exercise his judgment. He 
would not cut timothy until it had passed out of 
the blossom. Professor Davy, in his Agricul- 
tural Chemistry, says that 64 parts of clover hay, 
