106 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



FIG. 102. One style 

 of hay knife. [Cour- 

 tesy Stowe Supply 

 Co.] 



HAY KNIFE 

 SECTION! 



FIG. 103. Another style of hay 

 knife. [Courtesy Stowe Supply 

 Company.] 



from the bottom to the top of the mass, as well as good ventilation of the 

 building in which the hay is stored, were recommended. Some specially 

 advise against tramping or packing moist hay. On the other hand, there 

 are growers who believe that alfalfa hay should have little or no ventila- 

 tion and that it should be tightly packed. Quite a large number of 

 growers advocate the application of from two to three gallons of salt to 

 each ton of hay stored, as a means of fire prevention, and one grower 

 specifies two gallons of salt and one gallon of air-slaked lime to each ton. 

 The salt or lime is scattered over the different layers of hay as they are 

 put into the mow. Here are some reports about spontaneous combustion : 



Sherman county: "Properly cured hay will not take fire, but a large 

 amount of alfalfa hay which is somewhat green when stacked will heat 

 and that heat may create spontaneous combustion. Combustion may be 

 avoided by proper curing and storing in not-too-large stacks." 



Geary county: "Spontaneous combustion may be avoided by not stack- 

 ing hay that is wet from rain or dew. Alfalfa's own moisture will not 

 cause combustion. Water on hay, rather than in hay, is dangerous." 



