(UHI     JXXJAVJI
VOL. LIX.
INDIANAPOLIS, JUNE 4, 1904.
NO 23.
HOW TO CUT AND CURE CLOVER HAY.
Believes In Cutting  Early.
lst Premium.—Clover hay is one of our
most valuable feeds, and the value of its
feeding qualities depends largely at the
stage it is cut and on having it properly cured and put into the barm By-
analyzing samples of hay taken from
a clover field at intervals, from the time
the heads begin to appear until they turn
brown, one will find the amount of protein varying, being greatest when clover is
in full bloom. Also if allowed to ripen
before cutting, the per cent of carbohydrates will be reduced, thus losing the
two greatest feeding elements, protein
and carbohydrates. Also, the great
amount of crude fiber makes it less palatable, as that sweet flavor will have diminished aud leaves the hay lacking in
those elements which build bone and muscle. Considering the foregoing, we have
decided that th© best time to cut is
when in full bloom, before many of the
heads have turned brown. This not
only gives a better Quality of hay, but
we stand a better chance to get a good
crop of seed by cutting early.
' Rain or dew is very damaging to clover
hay, lessening its feeding value very much.
Beware of putting hay in the mow with
external moisture, as it is more injurious
than the same per cent of sap.
Never cut hay while damp from either
rain or dew, as it will dry better standing
than when out down.
It is almost impossible to eut clover at
the right stage and get it into the barn
the same day. As a rule, we believe to
cut in the afternoon is tlie best time, as
it will not cure enough before evening for
the dew to hurt. When the dew is
about off the next morning, the tedder
should start, which will loosen it up so
the air and sunshine will do their work
well.
To make choice clover hay it should be
cured uniformly. To let it lie day after
day with the top to the parching sun
and the rander part on the damp ground
will be two extremes, the top too dry and
the bottom too damp. The leaves quickly dry, so they are brittle and drop off
at a touch, which will make it more difficult to cure, as the natural way for the
stems to dry is through the leaves.
Some believe putting clover hay in cocks
is a good method, but we feel safe in
saying that the extra work and the
chances of rain on it are good reasons
for avoiding the method. When placed
in the barn it should be well scattered
in the mow, and not tramped at least for
32 hours or say the next morning. In
the evening close all doors, windows and
ventilators, as the ',cool air coming in
contact with the heated air will cause
moisture which will settle and become incorporated in the hay, which causes musty
hay. The much mooted question of
salting hay is becoming obsolete and passing into -oblivion, and well that it is, as
who doesn't know that salt is a great
moisture producer? In closing this part
of the subject in hand we say, cure clover
all you can while wilting it. Get all
of the sap out of it you can, but save the
leaves.
Our method of handling the seed crop is
wry brief, but we are satisfied with tho
"Suits. Seed should be well ripened.
The heads which are well filled should
be brown. Cut with a clover buncher,
which leaves the heads on top and bunches
in good shape to handle. It should
be well dried before threshing. Should
there be any rain on the bunches before
threshing, tlie quality of the seed will not
be hurt; in fact, it seems to make it more
brittle, and the seed hulls more readily,
if it is alloved to dry well after getting
wet.
Exchange with your neighbors in threshing. A good and convenient way is to
take your sled with hay ladders on, which
is low and easy to load without much
tramping which shells the seed. Our
practice is to thresh in the field, as stacking takes too much labor in handling
twice. Also, the clover seed crop always comes in a very busy season. We
believe in making as little labor as possible, wheu tiie easy way is just as successful. Having observed for several consecutive yiears, we have found lhat selling
from' the machine is as good, if no', bet
ter than holding for advance pric'J.
Jay Co. E. T. H.
ly buekbern, which should not be permitted to seed on any farm. When the
second crop is ripe, cut with machine
that leaves in bunches out of way of
team. Leave the bunch with as few
heads on the ground as possible.
Do not move bunches while dry, except
b h-nil to machine or vou will los_- many
bolls. Never attempt to thresh until perfectly dry, or the seed will be left in th-;
chaff. Allow no one on the Tilson except to uidoad, unless the haul is a ling
one. C.   C.
Hancock Co.
VCUvim%V\\ Qcp'AVtmmt.
Edlt-d by L.  A. Orelner,  M.  F.  V. S.,  18-24  S.
Kast  St.,  Indianapolis.        Advice  by  mall,  tl.
rig Thumps.—1 bave some small pigs which
have thumps if there is suc-h a disease belonging
to  hogs,      ricase  give  cause  and  remedy.
A.   McC.
Thumps ana due to cold and exposure,
and is an inflammation of the diaphragm.
Warm and dry places to sleep and careful
diet is the principal thing; bran slops with
a tablespoonful of bicarbonate of soda to
each pig ouce or twice  a day.
Keep Your Weather Eye Open-
_M Premium.—In making clover hay we
should even keep in mind the object to be
attained in the putting up of feed, and
that is, to put the feed up in that way I
that will retain the greatest amount of
nutriment contained in the plant at a
reasonable cost. Different methods of making hay will be practiced in the future
as in the past, on account of the difference
in  circumstances. Some   will   put  the
hay in- tight mows as soon as it is well
wilted, while others will let it remain iu
the swath until it is well cured. In
either case, it is wen to put on the wagon
with the loader, thus saving a great expense and much labor. On account of
farm help being so scarce, the loader has
become almost a necessity in the making
of clover hay, which comes during the
busy season, but as a large part of the
hay is put up by men who are usually
of limited means, and much of it is loaded
with fork in- hand, it is on this line that
I will drop a few hints.
Be careful not to cut the grass until
the dew is all off. Do jiot allow it to
lie in the swath until it is all sun-burnt.
Keep posted on the government report
of the weather, and if they say general
rains, better let the mower stand still. If
they say, showers, the showers may hit
you and miss your neighbor, or if you have
grass down the showers may come your
way, and if you have none cut it may
not rain at your place, and you will be
tempted to say that they don't know a
thing about it. One thing sure, if we
are to have good clover hay We must
have hay weather; otherwise we will have
a lot of stuff more fit for the manure pile
than to feed to growing stock.
The hay should be raked scon after cutting, to prevent sunburn ,and cured in the
windrow or in small piles, and right here
a few dozen covers are quite a saving in
case of showers.
I believe that the brightest hay I ever
made was raked within a short time after
it was cut, had not as yet wilted, but
retained its bright green appearance. The
time of cutting depends much upon the
weather. If the ground is wet, it
sJiould not be cut until most of the heads
are brown, say CO to 70 per cent, but if
the ground is in good condition, the cutting may  be commenced much  sooner.
If we are expecting a crop of seed, tho
clover hay should be taken off as soon
as from one-half to two-thirds of the
heads are brown, and after the second
cop has grown up and is iu bkoro, a'l
noxious weeds should be removed cspecial-
Never Let   it Take a Rain.
3d Premium.—I always let my clover
get fairly ripe, say when the blossoms
get two-thirds brown, then commence
making eiover hay. I never cut when
thero is any dew on; say commence 'about
9 or half past 9 o'clock, when there is a
heavy dew, and cut until late in the evening. Then next morning, as quick as the
dew dries off, I begin to rake and haul
nnd put in the barn, and do this until
late in the evening. I also nun my machine from 9 or 9:30 until late in tiie
evening, the same as on tho first day,
and, it my hay begins to get too dry, I
rake up all that is dry enough to rake
into ihe windrows, as hay don't dry o-i.
as bad in the windrow as iu the swath.
If hay don't dry fast enough, kick with
tedder. I don't aim to let any rain get
on my hay if I can help it, and I never
handle my hay where there is any dew
on. Always avoid this and you will have
niee bright clover hay. When you commence making clover hay go at it with
a vim, and work like jou intended to get
through in one day. Keep up within half
or oaa day's work of your machine, and
if you see that there is coming rain, get
a little closer to your machine. I would
prefer putting up hay a little heavy rather than let it take a rain. I have put up
some a little heavy in this way. If there
is a prospect for rain, I put two loads
ofi well cured hay with one load* of heavy,
well wilted hay. If you will observe
these rules closely, you will never have
any moldy or musty clover hay. I have
practised these rules for the last ten or
twelve years, and I have never had any
but bright and good clover hay. Never
had any moldy or nlusty hay for the
last ten or twelve years. J. N. T.
Morgan Co.
Will you please tell _._ if you know anything lo
give to a horse to make liim a sure foal getter.
Subscriber.
The only suro foal getter is tlie impreg-
nator,   which instrument  can  be secured
from Specialty Mfg. Co., 220 East 32d St.,
New York City.
Premiums of $1, 75 cents 5 cents
ana given for the first, second and third
best articles for the Experience Department each week. Manuscript should be
sent direct to the Indiana Farmer Company and should reach us ono week before date of publication.
No. 429, May 28.—Describe the summer
conveniences the farmer's wife should
have about the house.
No. 431, June 11.—Tell how to treat the
work horses during the busy season.  ■
No. 432, June 18.—Give experience in
growing  and   harvesting   buckwheat.
riease answer through your Teterlnary department ,wliat is tbe matter witb my mare; sbe
Ls 11 years old, bas doue ordinary farm work all
winter; has been used in three horse team aiul
(jIjjwj'jI _5 acres within last few days; bas acted
strangely. Would b* all right ln morning but
by midjlle of afternoon would go wrong all at
once, reel and staggi'.r and stop, Jerk lu the mus-
j.-1jvs throw 'hj*ad forward and blink her eyes very
rapljlly. At   one   time   fell   backwanl.       She
would get all right within 15 or 20 minutes rest,
..nil by morning be as free as ever, lias an extra
goojl appetite and is fed corn, oats and hay, also
runs on pasture wlien not at work; sbe bas nat
been over-worked at any time, but ls not in tbe
Ijest of tlesh, in fact never lays on very muj-U
surplus flesh. Her hair seems In excellent condition. Tii's mare ls rather a n. rvous liigb
stnui/r animal. A.  Ia.   _».
Colfax.
Your mare has what is termed megrims,
sometimes due  to indigestion.       I  would
advise you   to   talae  your   mare  to  some
competitive    veterinarian  and    have  her
teeth  examined  and dressed  after which
I would recommend turning on grass flor
a  mouth  or two without work.
Answer to query about hog cholera.
Your hogs have a form of hog cholera.
It is due to liver and spleen trouble Remove all corn for a while and give plenty
of charcoat to eat, also givo one tablespoonful of salicylate of soda to each hog
once a day in slop. Separate from
healthy hogs.
Several British warships of the Australian squadron were recently laid off
at Plymouth. Their condition is described as "rotten." A naval authority
said of them: "There is not one of them
that could capture a Chinese junk." The
Kast Indian squadron is said to be in a
similar plight.
In many peasant homes in Europe house
and stable are one. Sometimes the family
lives upstairs, but oftener it is on the
same floor with the cattle, or even in the
same room.
Among the Eastern nationg the beginning of school life is a critical time for the
child. Tho priest or astrologer must be
consulted to choose a lucky day. Every
precaution must be taken to avert the
jealousy of the gods, whose malice is especially directed against a fine boy.
The Chinese father who adores his sonr
will take the utmost pains to convince tlio
powers of the air that the boy is of no account. The child may be given a despicable name, like flea, or Cliu-tze, a pig,
or, more insulting still, he may be given a
girl's nam.-. The boy may be started off
to school wearing a girl's dress and one
earring, and if tlie deception is complete
this will be the most effectual of all, ffu-
even the gods do not care for girls in
China.
The Japanese schoolboy wears hanging
from his belt a littDo red bag, containing
a brass tag with his name and his parents'
name and address upon it. He must have
his paper .umbrella and his fan, and, in a
gray bag upon liis arm, is a jar of rice
for his luncheon-. This quaint little! fellow has probably made his offering at his
own private shrine to Tenjinsen, the god
of penmanship.
When the Hindoo boy has found an
auspicious day to begin school, he is taken
to the god ofi learning, Sarasvati. Here
the little supplicant presents his offering
of rice and betelnuts, and repeats tlie letters of the alphabet after the priest.
Thus he is entered into the ways of knowledge in the very presence of the god.—
Everybody's Magazine.