Alfalfa Haying and the Weather 



How to Cure the Crop in a Rainy Spell 



, Sam, you are going to have your hands full to get those 

 ten acres cured and dry with this rainy June weather!" 



It was Sam's neighbor speaking. He had never grown a 

 spear of alfalfa in his life, and he was a little bit envious of the fine 

 stand just across the fence. 



"Yes," replied Sam, "I'll have my hands full all right, but I am 

 going to have my barns full, too full of the finest hay in all the 

 world. Worth twice as much for feeding as the timothy I have 

 been growing and you are still growing. I am not worrying about 

 handling alfalfa, but I was worried for a few years about getting" it 

 started." 



Fig. 56. Hay Caps for Rainy Weather. 



They insure valuable alfalfa hay against weather losses. 



"Well," interjected the neighbor, "you'll be worried before you 

 get through with it, or I'll rriss my guess. This alfalfa business 

 isn't all sunshine and roses. We cut our timothy in July when 

 there's little rain, and it's easy to cure. What are you going to do 

 if it keeps on raining? Your field is ready to cut right now!" 



Can't Stop Rain 



"Let it rain! Can't stop it! They've been talking about the 

 weather now for centuiies, but nothing has ever been done about it. 

 Besides, we need rain to push the corn and wheat along. If I lose 

 this first crop I'll have two mere coming anyway. But I don't in- 

 tend to lose it." 



Sam was feeling good-natured in spite of ten rainy days and ten 

 acres of alfalfa anxiously ready to be cut. 



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