HARVESTING THE HAY CROP 

 H. B. McCluke 



Agriculturist, Office of Farm Management, United States Department of 



Agriculture, Wasliington, D. C. 



TIME TO CUT HAY 



Hav should be cut when the greatest 

 quantity of that which is palatable can be 

 secured per acre. Unfortunately, how- 

 ever, there are factors that often prevent 

 this; namely, rainy weather, necessary 

 work on other crops, and an insufhcient 

 amount of help. The latter applies 

 l)articularly to farms growing a consider- 

 able acreage of hay. 



Timothy should be cut when just com- 



ine; into full bloom to secure the largest 



ajiiount of nutrients and yield. Hay cut at the beginning of the 



blooming season is much more difficult to cure than that cut after 



the seeds have formed and the plant is getting " ripe." 



TIME OF DAY TO CUT 



On the average eastern farm where a comparatively small 

 acreage of hay is grown, it is the custom to haul in hay during the 

 afternoon only. If the weather is favorable, hay cut in the after- 

 noon and put into the barn the next afternoon will produce a crop 

 having an excellent color, and without overexposure to the sun. 

 The objection to this method is that cutting in the afteimoon 

 requires one more man and team than when the cutting is done in 

 the morning. The amount of hay cut down at any one time 

 should never be more than can be handled in one day ; or, in other, 

 words, the mower should be only one day ahead of the crew put- 

 ting the hay into the barn. 



