324 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



FIG. 271. A cutting machine for chopping alfalfa into short lengths. 

 [Courtesy Smalley Manufacturing Company.] 



HARVESTING FOR SEED. 



Alfalfa that is being cut for seed should be handled as little as possible, 

 especially after it has cured. In order to do this it is desirable to leave 

 the alfalfa in windrows or small bunches. Tnis can be done by cutting 

 with a mower and raking with a side-delivery rake, if raked before it 

 cures. Or it may be placed in small bunches as it is cut, by using one of 

 the clover rakes (described before) with a bunching attachment, which 

 leaves the alfalfa in small, loose bunches. 



One of the writers once harvested a crop of alfalfa seed with a com- 

 mon grain header, after removing the elevator, and obtained excellent 

 results. The header will not work, however, if there is much fine grass, 

 as the corrugated sickle knives do not cut it well. 



Alfalfa and Clover Hullers. 



Special alfalfa threshers are constructed somewhat differently from 

 grain separators. Two cylinders are used, the first removing the pods 

 from the straw. By the time all of the straw has passed the racks all of 

 the pods are removed. The second cylinder removes the seed from the 

 pods. After being cleaned the seed is bagged, or a recleaner attached to 

 the machine is sometimes used before bagging. The machine requires 

 constant watching, as the separating mechanism has a tendency to clog up 

 with the pods and leaves that are threshed from the straw. 



Quite a number of the grain-threshing machines can be converted into 

 clover and alfalfa hullers. They will do fairly good work if the straw is 

 dry and in good condition for threshing. 



