80 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



showed 600 pounds less hay per acre than the second cutting. The 

 lightest yield of cured hay was from the first cutting, which was 

 1,240 pounds per acre behind the second cutting. 



The next year the last cutting, or when the plants were fully 

 ripe, gave the largest yield of cured hay, while the first cutting, 

 or when the plants were just in full head, was a close second, being 

 only 240 pounds per acre behind the last cutting. There was 

 practically no difference between the yields of the second, third 

 and fourth cuttings, they being about 400 pounds per acre behind 

 the other two. 



In the third year of the experiment, only two cuttings were 

 obtained, viz., the third and fourth. This time the fourth cutting 

 gave the larger yield of cured hay. 



In the fourth year we had all five cuttings. The fourth cut- 

 ting, viz., when the seed were in the dough, showed the largest 

 return of field cured hay, and the third cutting, with the seed just 

 formed, a close second. The first cutting, when the plants were in 

 full head, stood third, and the second cutting, when in full bloom, 

 fourth, and the smallest return of field cured hay came from the 

 fifth cutting, when the plants were ripe. 



In the fifth trial the first cutting was lost on account of rain. 

 The third cutting showed the maximum yield of cured hay, with 

 the second coming second, but 480 pounds behind ; the fourth cut- 

 ting ranked next, being 580 pounds behind the third, and the fifth 

 cutting, when the plants were ripe, gave the smallest yield of cured 

 hay, being 840 pounds per acre less than was obtained from the 

 third cutting, when the seed were just formed. 



As stated at the outset, these returns show no consistency, on 

 account of the difference in amount of water that the hay con- 

 tained at the time it was weighed and put up. 



2. YIELD OF DRY MATTER PER ACRE. 



The value of hay as food is determined by the dry matter it 

 contains and by its digestibility. We are therefore interested to 

 know at what stage of the development of the plant we may ex- 

 pect to secure the largest yield of dry material. 



In the first year of the experiment the largest yield of dry 

 matter was obtained from the third cutting, when the seed were 

 formed. The fourth cutting, with seed in the dough, came as a 

 close second, being only 130 pounds per acre behind the third ; the 

 second cutting, when the plants were in full bloom, stood third. 



