HARVESTING S7 



soon pay for themselves by the finer quality of the hay 

 they assure, aside from the larger quantity of the best 

 grade that their protection guarantees. 



Storer further says, ''there can be no question as to 

 the very great merit of hay-caps when properly used. 

 They are simply pieces of stout, cotton cloth of suitable 

 size, say 40 to 45 inches square as a minimum, (60 inches 

 square would be far better — Author) which are thrown 

 over the cocks when rain is imminent, or at nightfall. 

 These cloths may have wooden pegs or some sort of 

 weight attached to each corner to hold them in place ; the 

 pegs can be driven into the ground or pushed under the 

 hay, as seems most suitable to the size of the cock or con- 

 ditions of the weather. The porosity of the cotton cloth 

 hinders dampness from collecting beneath it at the top 

 of the cock which it covers." 



Curing alfalfa in dry regions where the problems and 

 dangers of rainfall do not need any large consideration, 

 is attended with few of the difficulties which confront 

 the grower in a region of much humidity. In western 

 Kansas and Nebraska, and in Texas and other states 

 where summer rains are somewhat infrequent, the 

 mowers start at the beginning and do not stop until the 

 field or fields of alfalfa are all in the swath. The rakes 

 follow close behind, frequently the side-delivery rake, 

 and then the gathering implement, usually designated as 

 a "go-dtvil," keep only about a half -day behind, drag- 

 ging the cured hay to the stack or rick where the horse- 

 fork lifts and carries it to the center of the stack, to be 

 distributed and placed by men with pitchforks. The 

 market and feeding value of hay so cured and gathered, 



