THE HAY-MAKING SEASON

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 14

THE HAY-MAKING SEASON

In thousands of ways a first-class hay crop of ample dimensions renders the farmer independent of extraneous aid during the whole year, and does so at the lowest possible cost, but the exacting demands of a catchy season like the present one are responsible for a great strain on the minds and bodies of the haymaker. When the hay crop in ready for cutting and there are sound reasons for urging the importance of cutting the grass young, before even the earliest varieties have formed seeds in their flower heads, and dripping weather is experienced day after day, the patience of any farmer is taxed to the utmost. Although an occa sional day transpires on which the crop might be cut, and it is more than ready for cutting, the recurring showers are so frequent that the hay is being left untouched as long as possible. But there is a limit to that course. The great majority of grasses contain nearly double the nutriment before they ripen seed than they do afterwards, and there is ample justification for proceeding with the work on the first possible occasion which is deemed suitable, no matter what day it may happen to be. It now resolves itself into a case of emergency, and emergencies have to be met by courses of action which thoroughly upright ana conscientious men would not take under ordinary circumstances. If a farmer, driven to distraction by a catchy ceason, is com., pelled to take the first day that offers to retain some virtue in his hay, then let who will be scandalised, but let him have pity on the stock. The hay crop this year is badly battered about with the rain, and there will be a considerable amount of waste, but there is a generous bulk, and some very heavy cuts will be made. The watery nature of most of it will require careful handling; there will be some danger of spontaneous combustion it the ricks are made large to begin with. This season a longer time will have to expire than usual, and the small tramped cock made use of in the first instance. When these are well made and properly beaded it is wonderful h'ow little effect the weather will have on the contents. The hay may suffer at the ground level, hut nowhere else. But they require careful watching, and inverting if necessary. A little heating in the cock, if it arises from the natural sap, helps to cure the hay, and may be disregarded. The present high-speed mowing machines with ball bearings, sweet-running and clean cutting, and other improved machinery make it a comparatively simple matter to make bay in any quantity in reasonable weather. The swinging stacker is an American device, rvorked by hand Or horse-power, for elevating a considerable quantity of bay at once to a maximum height of about 20ft. Sweep lakes are used for pulling or pushing the ricks on to the platform of this elevator, and side delivery rakes for making windrows after the mechanical tedders have partially dried the bay are now available. Another recent innovation is the hay-loader, which is towed behind the dray or waggon and loads from the ground to the dray. It would repay any farmer who makes much hay to secure all of these labour-saving appliances. In a bad year also much may be done by regulating the siz.q of the stack to the condition hay, and providing efficient ventilators when any doubt exists as to its fitness for stacking. These may be firmly secured before the building ol the stack begins., and extend from floor to roof. An old ami safe tost of fitness is to gather together a small sheaf and twist it lightly into a rope. If moisture exudes the grass is not ready for stacking.