792 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The harvesting should take place with as little handling as possible in 

 order to prevent the shattering of the leaves, which contain a large pro- 

 portion of the nourishment. 



Handling in the field. — The preparation of hay from alfalfa is essen- 

 tially the same as for any of the grasses, being modifield somewhat by 

 its succulent nature, especially in the humid regions. On a commercial 

 scale the cutting is done by mowing machines drawn by from two or 

 four horses. The mowing should be commended in the morning. In the 

 arid regions the making of hay from alfalfa is a A^ery simple process. 

 The air is so dry that the hay moved in the morning may be raked and 

 stacked in the afternoon of the same day, but in the more humid climates 

 the difficulties increase. There is more moisture in the air, the green 

 alfalfa is more succulent, and the curing process must extend over a 

 greater length of time. There is additional danger of heavy showers or 

 dews wetting the hay before it is dry enough to place in the stacks or 

 barns. Where the alfalfa is expecially succulent the curing process 

 must be hastened by the use of a hay tedder. .These machines are now in 

 use in many places along the lower Mississippi and Red River valleys. 

 When the hay is sufficiently dry it is raked in windrows and later 

 thrown into bunches er cocks. In regions where heavy dews prevail 

 and the curing will not be completed on the day the hay is cut, it is 

 often advantageous to rake the partically cured hay into windrows at 

 night and open out these bunches by hand upon the advent of favorable 

 weather. It is often sufficient to throw the partially cured hay into tall 

 narrow cocks, and allow them to remain until the hay is thoroughly 

 cured. Such cocks should be as small as possible in porportion to the 

 height in order that there may be a circulation of air and less danger 

 from heating. 



STACKING. 



Throughout the western half of the United States alfalfa hay is com- 

 naQuly stored in stacks in the field. Alfalfa stacks will not shed water 

 as readily as stacks of grass hay. In the arid regions there is little 

 danger from rains during the season of storage, but in humid climates it 

 is necessary to store the hay in barns or else cover the stacks with large 

 tarpaulins, or they may be topped with grass; otherwise the percentage of 

 waste is very large. In many cases there is likely to be some waste for 

 which reason the stacks are made large, thus reducing the proportionate 

 amount of waste. In the alfalfa regions of the West the stacks are as 

 high as the hay can be handled easily and may be 200 feet or more in 

 length. The size of the stack is then limited chiefly by the convenience 

 in. bringing the hay from the surrounding field. The hay may be pitched 

 onto wagons, drawn to the stacks, and unloaded hy hand or by means of 

 various mechanical devices. The method in most common use, however, 

 for transporting hay from the field to the stack is by using some form of 

 hay sweep or, as it is called in many localities, "go-devil.". 



