THE CULTIVATOR. 
Proper Time for Cutting Hay, &c. 
Eds. of Country Gentleman —I have been looking 
for some more extended suggestions in your paper, on 
the subject of hay, either from your pens or those of 
your experienced correspondents. Indeedit seems to 
me that the public needs to be enlightened upon this 
subject, and to ijtpur sheet, with its deserved reputa¬ 
tion, we must look for the lead. Not only the producer, 
but the purchaser, should have a correct view of the 
subject, for much hay is grown and cured with refer¬ 
ence to the taste of the buyer, rather than to the bene¬ 
fit of the animals that consume it. The demand in 
market is all for timothy, especially for horses, and 
that cut when the seed is fully grown. Nothing else 
passes as good hay in our markets. In Franee and 
England, I understand clover sells as No. 1, and in Bos* 
ton and other New England markets, foul meadow takes 
the precedence. I have fed to horses, cattle and sheep 
with good success, all varieties of clover from the larg¬ 
est to the smallest (white) ; also timothy, red top 
grown upon dry ground, and mixed with clover and 
timothy and June or spear grass from rich and damp 
ground ; and I have found the more varieties grown 
the larger the yield. 
There is, however, I apprehend, one fault, and a 
great one, of the farmer, which contributes to the pe¬ 
culiar and exclusive taste of the buyer, that is the 
mode of curing. Late cut grass is cured when cut, but 
early cut must be cured with care and skill, as it will 
suffer in nutriment or become musty. But before 
making any suggestions upon the mode of curing, I 
will offer my views in short upon the time of cutting 
I have no doubt that grasses of all common varie¬ 
ties, are at their greatest perfection for hay when 
in the blossom. The after growth is more abundant 
when cut in that state ; the ground better protected 
from the rays of the sun,-,and the roots left in a more 
vital state for the succeeding crops: and, in addition, 
the barn-yard is spared from much foul seed, which 
matures in late cut hay. This, I may say, is the re¬ 
sult of my limited experience and observation. My 
ohildhood was spent upon a farm in Windsor County, 
Vermont. Clover was there generally mowed in June, 
and the good farmers commenced haying, (of their En¬ 
glish grass as they called it,) by July, and I am fully 
convinced their hay was more nutritious than our late 
cut hay. Cattle, sheep, and even horses, grew and 
gained in flesh, upon this hay. And on occasional 
visits to that section, when I have driven my own.hor¬ 
ses, I have found they would do better on the hay in 
Vermont than in New York In the western part of 
New York, where I had what was properly called a 
grain farm, for some years, I often had an opportunity 
of testing the value of hay which I had cut early, and 
cured, my way with that purchased, cut and cured to 
the fashion of the market. My horses, when fed 
on clover hay, grown upon my own farm, without 
grain, did as well as when fed on the purchased, with 
eight quarts of oats daily. It would afford me much 
pleasure to see further light beamed upon this dark 
subject, in your columns. 
BEST MODE OF CURING HAY. 
My mode of curing hay was derived from directions 
givpn by Judge Buel, about the time he started the 
Cultivator. The mowing should be performed when 
the grass is free from rain water or dew 5 and when 
the grass is wilted it should be eoeked, observing the 
rule invariably ; never spread the grass or open a cock 
unless through carelessness water has got into its 
midst. If the prospect of weather is good and the 
yield large, what is mowed in the forenoon and up to 
mid afterneon is turned over in the swath before the 
dew falls, so as to expose the green surface to the dew. 
The next day it is cocked either from the swath or 
winrow, by placing one fork full upon another with¬ 
out rolling up. This is the most important thing to 
be well done in the whole process of hay making, and 
every man must be instructed to do it the very right 
way, and no other, or the whole system fails. When 
cocked it should remain unopened until cured, from 
wo days and upwards. The cocks should be made 
small in circumference, and as tali as they will stand; 
the grass being cocked when heavy, they will not blow 
over easily. For experiment, I have allowed the cocks 
to stand three weeks, and I think without injury. The 
same came out bright in March, with the heads, leaves 
and blossoms of the clover on, and as bright as when 
cut. I find most men, after the hay is cocked, are im¬ 
patient to stir it. After a long rain, I let the cocks re¬ 
main until thoroughly dried upon the outside, about 
two days; and then if wet at the bottom, invei’t them, 
ready for another rain upon that end; or if good wea¬ 
ther, draw it in soon thereafter. 
In this way, I never have had hay badly cured, in 
the worst of weather. Care and judgment will over¬ 
come the worst of difficulties. I have had cocks out 
from one to two weeks in severest rains, without mate¬ 
rial injury. A cock well made, has a well thatched 
roof and water will not pass in over an inch. If the 
weather is doubtful, the grass is spread, and if light 
it should be cocked the same day it is mowed. But 
the farmer has no business to have light grass. Two 
and a half tons to the acre is (he least he should have 
when long enough on the farm to prepare and seed his 
meadows. It is miserable economy to haye less. 
There is another way of securing hay, which I have 
known some good farmers practice. That is, cut the 
grass when in blossom, free from wet; wilt it, and 
draw it to the barn in that state, and keep the barn as 
near air-tight as. possible. I have understood this is 
extensively practiced in Pennsylvania, where they have 
stone barns well adapted to the practice, and one of the 
most intelligent and prosperous graziers of Chemung 
county, told me this was his practice ; he said the hay 
would mold a little, but the cattle would eat it as well 
or better, and he thought it more nutritious—probably 
better for cattle than horses, or sheep. 
INQ UIRIES ABO UT DRAINING AND IRRIGA TION. 
And now gentlemen, I wish a little advice on the 
subject of draining and irrigation. I have seen the 
boy who blew the fire to roast his ear of corn, and then 
