THE CULTIVATOR. 
887 
Trees several inches in diameter, may be saved by this 
means, if the work is carefully done; and the whole will 
grow over in a few years. J. J. T. 
10 th mo. 1844. 
SALT IN CURING CLOVER. 
Analysis of the experiments of S. W. Pomery, Esq., by F. 
Mortimer Butler. 
These experiments, made in 1804, are recorded in 
Transactions of the Mass. Ag. Society, vol. I, p. 105. 
Experiment “No. 8, July 13.—Cut 9 tons clover, one 
third of tops turned brown , [cut] by 2 o’clock, spread, 
turned, cocked by 6 o’clock_14th. Cocks turned bottom 
upwards, began to cart at 10 o’clock, packed in a bay with 
one peck of salt pe? ton, very little heat. Result, color 
completely preserved.” 
No. 7, July 12.—[Is a similar experiment,] “one 
fourth of the tops turned brown.”—13th. Taken in at 11 
o’clock, “ half a bushel of salt, small degree of heat. Re¬ 
sult, very excellent hay.” 
No. 6, July 11.—“ Weather intensely hot, and scorch¬ 
ing sun; cut 4 tons clover by 1 o’clock; tops begun to turn 
brown-, spread, turned, cocked by 5 o’clock.—12th, 
Cocks turned bottom up; carted before 4 o’clock, packed 
in a bay with half a bushel of salt per ton .—13th. Consi¬ 
derable heat, none after. Result, well cured.” 
From the remarks of Mr. Pomeroy, it is understood 
that July 11th, 12th and 13th, were good hay days. This 
might have been realized from the fact that the natural 
ripening of the grass was progressing rapidly, inasmuch 
as the tops on the 11th “began to turn brown,” on the 
12th were “ one-fourth brown,” and on the 13th were 
“ one-third brown.” In the same ratio, a few days more 
would have converted the grass into standing hay. 
Please observe No. 8. In this experiment, after one- 
third of the tops had turned brown, there has been some 
wilting in the swath; some ripening, through exposure 
to the sun; and some sweating in the cock. Can it then 
be said, that the curing of the grass was effected by the 
one peck of salt per ton, or are we to be surprised at the 
very little heat. But little reflection is needed to settle 
these points. The grass had in realitv become changed 
into hay before being carried in. But one thing, there¬ 
fore, in the absence of salt, was needed for its preserva¬ 
tion, viz. thorough drying. Our farmers are aware of the 
fact, that when the heating action is nearly over, that is 
when the sap is nearly ripe, hay may be carried in damp, 
and be preserved, provided that salt is used to take up the 
loose moisture. In this experiment, the cocks were 
turned bottom upwards, but not opened to become tho¬ 
roughly dry. Salt then served to take up the loose mois¬ 
ture. 
No. 6 was cut in a greener state, received similar 
treatment, and was carried in at 4 o’clock, consequently 
remained in cock five hours longer than No. 7; this ex¬ 
tra time in sweating was not sufficient, at this stage of 
growth, to effect the ripening of the sap to the same de¬ 
gree as that occurring in the grass left standing that day; 
consequently, we notice “ considerable heat.” Our far¬ 
mers say that it is best for hay to heat a little in the mow. 
In this experiment, the curing not being sufficiently com¬ 
pleted in the field, was finished by sweating in the mow 
or bay. This sweating, however, was too great, and the 
hay would in all probability have been mow-burnt, had 
not salt been used to take up the loose moisture. Had 
the hay been less ripe, neither salt nor salt-petre would 
have saved it. 
Please observe the progress of natural ripening from * 
the 11th to the 13th of July (in No. 6, 7, 8,) as “begun,” 
“ one-fourth,” and “ one-third turned brown.” Compare 
it with the artificial ripening effected in about one day’s 
curing, as indicated by the degrees of heat, “considera¬ 
ble,” “small degree,” “very little heat.” Do they not 
contrast well, even after allowing for the five hours ex¬ 
tra sweating in No. 6, and setting aside the supposed 
agency of salt in the curing. 
“No. 5, July 10. Four tons clover cut and managed as 
No. 4; [clover in full bloom, cut by 1 o’clock, spread, turn¬ 
ed, cocked by 5 o’clock.] l]th, remained in cock. 12th, 
cocks turned bottom upwards, carted middle of t'he day, 
and packed in a bay with half a bushel of salt per ton; 
small degree of heat. Result, well cured.” 
Between Nos. 6 and 7, there is a difference of one day’s 
time in cutting, consequently one day’s natural ripening. 
Only 5 hours extra time is allowed in curing that earliest 
cut. This I have stated to have been too small an allow¬ 
ance. Please observe that between Nos. 5 and 7 there is 
a difference of two days standing, and that in No. 5 there 
is two days curing, one day being by sweating in cock. 
Compare the degrees of heat and they will be found to 
correspond, viz: “ small degree of heat.” Had No. 5 
been thrown open and thoroughly dried, and then pack¬ 
ed away with one peck of salt per ton, we would in all 
probability, had the return, very little heat, color com¬ 
pletely preserved. At all events, it is curing by wilting 
and sweating. 
No. 3, is four tons clover, cut on the 9th July, “ re¬ 
mained in cock the 10 th;” carried in on the 11th; “half a 
. bushel of salt.” Result, well cured, of a good color. 
This is another specimen of wilting and sweating, and as 
such, speaks for itself. We will pass to other experi¬ 
ments, showing the matter more clearly. 
“ No. 4. July 10th.—Cut two tons clover in full bloom, 
by 1 o’clock; spread, turned, cocked by 5 o’clock. 11th, 
cocks turned upside down; carted in forenoon, very green, 
packed on a scaffold with theee pecks of salt per ton, heat 
some days. Result, ‘ black, some of it mouldy, smoked 
when removed, but eaten freely by horses.’ ” That is to 
say, the horses ate a black carbonaceous mass, to obtain 
the salt contained in it. In this experiment we have 
green grass, it being only in full bloom; with one day’s 
curing, and yet the salt could not save it. The green 
state of the grass called for longer time in sweating, as 
will be seen. 
“ No. 2, July 9th.—Clover in full bloom, second year’s 
cutting, with a small portion of herds grass, very rank; 
mown between 7 and 1 o’clock, spread, turned and cock¬ 
ed up by 5 o’clock. 10th, cocks turned bottom upwards; 
afternoon, three tons carted to the barn, found too green; 
remained on carts till the 11th; spread very thick on an 
adjoining field, turned, exposed three hours; carried in 
without loss of head or leaves; supposed half made; pack¬ 
ed in a bay with half a bushel of salt per ton; next day a 
little heat. Result, well cured, of a good color.” 
This experiment speaks for itself; wilting and sweat¬ 
ing had been resorted to. The remark, “ supposed half 
made,” seems to rob it however, of its true merit. There 
can be green hay, as well as green grass. In the former, 
the word green applies to the color; in the latter, to the 
succulent state. Well cured hay, by the wilting and 
sweating process, carries a pea green color, and thus is lia¬ 
ble to deceive our farmers, who are more accustomed to a 
greenish hazel or chocolate tint. Any one familiar with the 
wilting and sweating method, would say that in No. 2, is 
presented a fair though not perfect specimen of curing by 
that method. The grass having been dried and wilted on the 
9th, retained in cock and in mass (as on the carts) on the 
10th then thickly spread out for 3 hours on (he 11th, with 
the weather intensely hot and a scorching sun on that 
day, would naturally look for but little after heat in 
the bay. The remark, “next day a little heat,” is suffi¬ 
cient to show that it was cured before it went in. The 
good color must have led to the supposition that it was 
but half cured. 
No. 1, July 7th. Is “ three tons fine English hay, sup¬ 
posed to require one good hay day to make it; packed 4 feet 
thick on a scaffold, with one peck of salt per ton; no 
heat; very damp some days after. Result, came out 
bright, sweet, and very heavy; cattle fond of it. This 
needs no remark. [The hay weather previous to the 11th 
of July, was by no means good.] 
Permit me to remark that the science of agriculture is 
deeply indebted to Mr. Pomery for the precise detail of 
these experiments; they are a good pattern for those 
seeking improvement in agriculture. Respectful^, 
F. Mortimer Butler. 
P. S. I make the following extract from the same 
work, page 106: 
“ My clover, which covered two acres, was beat down 
by a severe storm of wind and rain, preceding the 234 
