THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



A Hay tedder; fork arms made of boiler tube and 

 coil relief spring 



other hand, the clover is put in cocks before the leaves become 

 dry, the stems and leaves transpire or evaporate the water 

 through the leaves much as they do when the plant is growing. 



The moisture of the 

 stems passes off 

 through the leaves. 

 This is the sweating 

 of hay. The water 

 collects on the outer 

 surface of the stems 

 and leaves, because 

 it is imprisoned 

 there by the sur- 

 rounding material. 



Another reason for 

 placing hay in cocks 

 is to prevent the 

 direct washing and leaching by rains. If an inch of rain falls 

 upon an acre of hay in the swath the hay is likely to be washed 

 by nearly all the rain that falls, or 3,630 cubic feet; but if the 

 hay is in cocks occupying, say one-twentieth the area, then 

 it will be washed with only 182 cubic feet, and as the water 

 will be more or less shed from the cock much of the hay 

 will be untouched. 



It is not feasible in many places, however, to cure hay in 

 the cock, on account of the extra labor necessary Much hay 

 is now put in the barn or stack on the day after it is cut. Hay 

 rakes, loaders, and horse forks make it possible to do this with 

 but little hand labor, while if put in cock much hand labor is nec- 

 essary. On the other hand, where only a limited quantity is to 

 be handled, it is often more convenient and more economical 

 to put the hay in cock. The method of handling hay depends 

 much upon circumstances, the main element being the cost of 

 a given method under given conditions. Other things equal, 



