218 THE CUL 
the growing crop. Sufficient working should be given, 
however, to prevent weeds from perfecting their seeds, 
and thus preparing needlessly for the ever continued 
labors of the farmer in their extermination. 
-» - 
Mowing Machines—Time to Cut Hay. 
Messrs. Editors —There has been some discussion 
of late in your valuable papers, about mowing ma¬ 
chines, and extremes have been gone intoon both sides 
—both in favor of the machine and against it. Now 
in discussing the merits or demerits of these labor-sav¬ 
ing machines, or upon any other subject pertaining to 
agricultural improvement, or in disapproval of what 
seems of doubtful utility, it is always best to keep as 
near the mark as possible; to state facts as they are, 
without embellishment or exaggeration. Some of the 
statements, calculations and figures in relation to these 
mowers, tend to mislead that portion of the farming in¬ 
terest that has had no experience with them. My own 
experience is limited to the past two years, but by 
careful and as accurate a test as possible in keeping 
account of the expense attending the machine, and 
comparing it with the expense of hand mowing at the 
present prices of efficient day laborers in the haying 
season, I am satisfied there is a saving to any farmer 
who has forty to fifty acres to mow over annually, of a 
smooth surface free from obstructions to the running of 
the machine. For a less amount than forty acres, and 
that generally producing heavy grass, I do not believe 
it can be profitable for any one to purchase unless he 
can club with his neighbors; and there are serious in¬ 
conveniences in this ; more than one might want to use 
it at a time; different teams, different drivers, &c., in¬ 
creasing the liability to accidents and the expense of 
repairs. The greater the quantity of grass to cut the 
more desirable is the machine, and the greater the 
saving. One of the greatest items in saving is in cut¬ 
ting the grass at the proper time, and saving in the 
quality of the hay; for I do not believe, with one of 
your correspondents, that the hay is more nutritious by 
standing until the seed is matured and nearly ready 
to drop before it is cut. Most of our cultivated grasses 
should be cut when in blossom, or just as they are pass¬ 
ing out of that stage, even if it does take more sun 
and a little extra labor to dry them. 
The economy of the mower I predicate upon the pre¬ 
sent price of labor, which here, is $1.25 to $1 50 per 
day, and board—25 to 50 per cent, higher than a few 
years ago; and even at this advance, the labor we get 
now is not as good now by 20 per cent, as formerly 
Could I obtain as good labor at one dollar per day as 
I did ten years ago, I should never have thought of re¬ 
sorting to a horse mower as a matter of economy. But 
the times have changed, and are continually changing 
in this country, and we farmers must shape our course 
to keep pace with these changes, whether they are for 
the better or the worse, or we shall get behind the 
times and become old fogies in the true sense of the 
word. Oldfogyism, to a proper extent, I like ; enough 
of it to curb and hold back “ Young America,” is 
necessary and desirable in our day and generation; 
but we cannot follow the beaten track of our fathers. 
Improvement is the watch-word in farming as well as 
other things; and wherever and whenever an agricul¬ 
tural implement presents itself as a labor-saving ma¬ 
chine, we have only to satisfy ourselves of the fact that 
T 1 VAT 0 R. July. 
it will prove so in reality, and then we ought to avail 
ourselves of its use, and not be controled by prejudice, 
or an undue preference and credulity. J. W. Colbbrne. 
Springfield ., Vt. 
We have several other communications on this sub¬ 
ject, mainly in answerto Mr. Clizbe’s communication, 
but as we have already published six or seven replies 
to Mr. C., our correspondents will we trust excuse us for 
omitting any further estimates on this matter. We 
add, however, a fact or two of interest from a com¬ 
munication from Mr. D. A. A. Nichols of Westfield, 
N. Y. Mr. N. says: 
Three years ago I had ten acres of lodged clover to 
mow, and I hired one-half mowed by hand, and the 
other with a machine. I had no machine, and conse¬ 
quently had to hire, or do without. 
Five acres cut with a scythe in 6 days by two men —12 days, 
at $1.25 and board,. $15.00 
Five acres cut with a machine in a half day, at 62£ 
cents per acre,. 3.12s 
Difference, . $11,875 
This is just exactly what I had to pay. 
In regard to having so much help as Mr. C. seems to 
think is necessary, I will say that myself and one man 
usually cut 50 acres of grass with no other help than a 
machine and a horse-rake, and get the hay as fast as 
it gets fit to cut. A good machine will mow when the 
dew is on as well as when the grass is dry. I usually 
hitch on the team after breakfast, and mow until the 
dew is off—then rake up and get in what was mowed 
the day previous. We cut our hay soon after the blos¬ 
som falls. Clover we cock as soon as wilted, letting it 
stand about a week, in order to save the leaves. I am 
not an agent for any machine, and therefore can say 
what I think about machines. We use the Ketchum 
machine, as there are no others that we have seen that 
will not clog in lodged clover and wet grass. That 
machine is not liable to get out of repair. One of my 
neighbors has one with which he has cut over 500 
acres of grass, and has paid out just $1.00 for repairs- 
-• » •- 
How to Extirpate the Apple-Tree Worm from Or¬ 
chards. 
A Dutchman in our neighborhood does this most ef¬ 
fectually. He provides himself with a basket, ladder 
and leather gloves. He then ascends the tree, taking 
advantage of the time when the worms are all in. He 
moves about among the branches, rolling up by hand 
each nest with its contents, and deposits it in his bas¬ 
ket. In a few minutes the work is accomplished, when 
he descends with his freight of worm nests. Passing 
through an orchard in this way, he does up the busi¬ 
ness for years to come. Some orchards in our neigh¬ 
borhood, which had for several years in succession been 
denuded of foliage, have been almost entirely relieved 
by one thorough cleaning out in this manner. One 
man can pass through a good sized orchard in a day, 
and the benefits conferred will bear no comparison with 
the trifling expense incurred. 
One of the most prolific sources of the apple tree 
worm, is the existence of a few black cherry trees 
scattered about the farm. The worm prefers this tree 
even to the apple. These trees serve as nurseries for 
worms, where millions are annually bred without mo¬ 
lestation. Every such tree growing along the fences 
about the farm, should be cut down without reserve. 
W. H. S. Sandlake . 
