FOODS AND FEEDING. I05 



Meadow Hay grown on permanent grass land, can be distinguished Meadow 

 by the large variety of grasses, the fineness of the growth and generally "^y- 

 by the superior aroma. 



Seed Hay is characterised by the small variety of the contained Seed hay. 

 grasses, the great vigour of their growth, its general hardness as 

 compared with meadow hay, and very often by the large proportion of 

 clover and other herbage it contains. 



Hay making.— Yi2iy is cut by the farmer at two distinct periods of its Period ot 

 growth v/ith different ends in view ; first, if he desires to afford his land cutting, 

 some help from the seed, he cuts it late, so that, in the making, a good 

 proportion of the already well formed seed will fall out and be restored ; 

 second, if he wishes to produce the finest possible quality of hay or has 

 the intention of getting a second crop, he cuts earlier when the majority of 

 the grasses are in full bloom or just after the flower has disappeared. 

 From the purchaser's point of view the latter of course is by far preferable, 

 and in judging samples close attention should be given to the period at Early cut 

 which the crop appears to have been cut. As soon as seed has formed best, 

 the stems of the plants get woody and are less nutritious when made into 

 hay than they would have been during late flowering. 



The processes of drying, carrying and stacking are all included under * * Saving " 

 the term " saving." Well saved hay has been dried rapidly without being ^^y* 

 wetted by rain, and is therefore of a much better colour and less touzled 

 than any which has been weathered, i.e.^ rained upon, left lying upon the Action of 

 ground, and subsequently much tossed to dry it. Rain is particularly rain on 

 injurious to hay because it dissolves out of the cut stalks a proportion of "^^y- 

 those nutritious properties which give it such a high feeding value. The Weight ot 

 comparative greenness of well-saved hay, even when it is old, cannot fail crop, 

 to distinguish it from other samples which have been stacked under less 

 fortunate conditions. Meadow hay, being generally a lighter crop and 

 more easily dried than " mixtures " containing a large proportion of 

 heavy succulent clovers and other herbage, is generally easier to save. 



After cutting, the grass is turned or tossed to ensure drying, then 

 raked into " windrows " and afterwards " cocked " or " coiled " previous 

 to stacking. 



In Ireland, Scotland, and the north, the haycocks are made gradually Various 

 larger as the hay dries till they assume a considerable size and in Ireland ways of 

 they are often left in the fields in that condition. In the Midlands and saving, 

 south, the hay is carried as soon as possible — the difference in method 

 being due to climatic conditions. 



