CURING CLOVER HAY. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



The problem of curing clover hay at its best estate, where 

 the acreage is large and the weather uncertain, is one of the 

 most difficult and^ perplexing that awaits the solution of the 

 practical farmer. * The problem is to evaporate at the least 

 expense of labor the large water content in clover, when cut 

 when it should be, with the least possible damage to the hay, 

 either from excessive drying, from rainfall or from dew. An- 

 alyses made at different times and places and collected and 

 published by the Department of Agriculture show that clover 

 before bloom has from 61.2 to 82.7 percent, of water, with an 

 average of 72; in bloom, from 47.1 to 91.8 with an average of 

 72.7; after bloom from 61.1 to 74.2 with an average of 68.2, 

 the average of all analyses giving a minimum of 47. i and a max- 

 imum of 91. 8 and an average of 70. 8. Analyses of clover hay 

 cured before bloom give a minimum of 6 per cent. , and a 

 maximum of 31.3, with an average of 20.6; in bloom a mini- 

 mum of Q4, a maximum of 26.7, an average of 20.9, while the 

 average of all analyses, numbering some thirty-eight of clover 

 hay, give a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 31.3, with aver- 

 age of 15.3. 



Mr. W. H. Heileman, under the direction of Prof. Wil- 

 son, of the Iowa Agricultural College and Experiment Station, 

 located at Ames, Iowa, has taken samples of clover as nearly as 

 possible in the best condition for cutting for hay, has analyzed 

 samples of it when cut, has cured the rest into hay in the 

 proper condition for storage, and analyzed the different samples, 

 and also like samples of hay thoroughly cured in the mow, 

 with the following results: 



Total moisture in a sample of clover in its best condition 



(79) 



