TIME TO CUT HAY 273 



acre. The same range is quite general in the South. Much 

 larger yields may be produced, however, when special atten- 

 tion is given to the hay crop. 



The average acre value of hay for the five years from 

 1913 to 1917 was higher in Arizona than in any other state, 

 $48.96; or about $15.00 a ton. The lowest acre value was 



N. Y. ■^H^^HH^HM^^HI^HHHI^^HHB 7.7% 



IOWA ^— B^— i— — ^1 ^1^— 6.3% 



CAL. mmm^ma^^mmm^mm^i^mmi^m^^ 5.8% 



PA. m^m^mmBtmmmammi^mmK^ 5.6% 



WIS. mmm^Ki^maamm^K^mim^m^^m 5.6% 



orao m^a^^^m^^mmmmmmam 5.1% 



MICH. M^— ^H — ^— I 4.4% 

 MO. l^^— ^i^— 1M 4.2% 



n.L. ■— B^ i^—I^— 4.0% 



NEB. w^^^mmma^mm 3.8% 



Figure 95. — Graph showing percentage of the total hay crop of the United Statee 

 produced in the ten leading states during the five years from 1913 to 

 1917, inclusive. 



that of North Dakota $8.60. The acre value in New York 

 was $19.33 and in Iowa, $15.77. The difference between 

 these two states was due entirely to the higher price per ton 

 in New York, as the acre yield is less than that in Iowa. 



350. Time to Cut. For the best quahty of hay, the crop 

 should be cut when the plants are in bloom. The grasses 

 usually increase in weight and in total feeding value up to 

 the time the seed begins to ripen, but they decrease in pal- 

 atability and digestibility after the blooming stage is past. 

 Probably the largest quantity of digestible food material 

 can be obtained from hay made up largely of the grasses, 

 if they are not cut until about the time they go out of bloom. 

 On the other hand, the clovers and alfalfa must be cut some- 

 what earlier, or many of the leaves will be lost in curing 

 and the feeding value will be considerably decreased. When 

 red clover and timothy are grown together, the clover comes 

 into bloom some days earUer than the timothy, and it is 

 necessary to cut the crop when the clover is rather mature 

 and before the timothy has reached its best state. Otherr 



18— 



