lo June, 1909.] Harvesting Lucerne for Seed and Ha] 



343 



Illustrations 9 and 12 show scenes in the hay fields of the Tamworth 

 district. The rake (No. 9) has low wheels and makes small winrows. In 

 preparing for shipment, the bales are cut out of the stack the exact size 

 thev are to be pressed and then layers are placed in a hand press (No. 10}, 

 and compressed to the right thickness. After this is done, all the ragged 

 edges are trimmed up and the corners rounded off with a knife. The final 

 result under this method is not as good as where the horse does the sweat- 

 ing. This is shown by the following extract from a letter received from 

 Messrs. W. S. Keast & Co., telling of sales of several consignments of hay 

 from the Goulburn Valley at ^5 per ton: — " We might say that the lucerne 

 from the Goulburn Vallev which we have received this year has gi\en great 

 satisfaction and is l)ringing a price ahead of consignments from Sydney.'' 



bAt. 



10. BALING HAY. 



The following figures as to the cost of making hay in the Tamworth 

 district were furnished b\ Mr. A. F. Burgess, one of 'the largest growers 



of hav in that Vallev: — 



£ s. d. 

 Making hay and puUing in shed ... ... ...090 



Pressing ... ... ... ... •■• ...090 



Carting to railway station ... ... ... ...026 



Freight and commission 

 Total cost per ton 



o 16 



When the.se figures were given, hay was selling in vSydney at £^\ 6s. cl. 

 per ton, leaving a net profit per ton of £^2 8s. lod. 



By the use of modern tools and methods, the Victorian irrigation farmer 

 can reduce the above costs of making and pressing hay b\- 8s. or 9s. jjer 

 ton, W'hich is considerably more than all the expenses of irrigation ; while 

 the sunny days and the small rainfall which prevail in the areas requiring 

 irrigation are great advantages in haymaking. 



While the present local demand for hay is far greater than the supply 

 and a ready market at g<Jod prices is likely to continue, it is not believed 

 that this will be the chief way of disposing of the crop. Many will find 

 it more profitable to feed their hay on the farm. A ton, by measure, of 

 green hav weighs from six to eight times as much as the same bulk of dry 

 hav and has greater feeding value. Its use in the liand ft^eding of dairv 



