594 



STATUE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



I'arius to rake with the side-del ivci-y rake, pick ii[) wiili the self-loadei, 

 and stack with fork or slings. 



The use of haj' caps on the cocks during curing insures a better color 

 and quality of hay, and will prevent loss during unfavorable conditions. 

 Canvas caps, about three and one-lialf or four feet square with corners 

 weighted with pieces of metal, or cement balls, or carrying stakes on 

 strings which ma^' be thrust into tlio cock, will effeclnnlly shed rain 

 and insure proper curing. 



still productive after nine years of successful hay crops. Usually alfalfa fields should be 

 plowed or pastured at from four to six years after seeding. 



Two cuttings are usually secured during the second season, or if the 

 year is very favorable, three will be secured. The third and following 

 seasons, three cuttings are usually secured and occasionally in very 

 favorable years four may result, tlsually during the third and fourth 

 season June grass will make its appearance. At that time it is advisable 

 after removing the hay crop to cultivate with spring-tooth or spike-tooth 

 harrow in order to drag out the June grass. The too drastic use of the 

 spring-tooth may injure alfalfa, but if properly used the June grass with 

 its surface root system will suffer much more injury than the alfalfa 

 with its deeply anchored tap root. While alfalfa fields ten years or more 

 in age, and still producing successfully are occasionally to be found 

 in Michigan, it is usually advisable after the fourth or fifth year to turn 

 under an alfalfa sod, and follow with cultivated crops, or these crops in, 

 an ordinary clover rotation, for a period of four or five years before 

 reseeding to alfalfa. Alfalfa sods are often followed with cultivated 

 crops for several years, reseeding to alfalfa alone or with barley or oats 

 as a companion crop. 



