88 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



is deemed by some authorities as not the highest. Curing" 

 in the windrow alone is hkely to be a mere drying (per- 

 haps too rapid drying) of one side of the exposed 

 portions. Alfalfa should cure successively in the swath, 

 windrow, cock and stack or mow, to develop its greatest 

 value. The man who has so many acres that he cannot 

 cure it in this way might do better with fewer acres for 

 hay, and pasture hogs on the remainder, or use the land 

 for other crops. Still it is true that alfalfa even poorly 

 cured has no inconsiderable feeding value. Many farmers 

 in the West and Middle West claim to secure very good 

 hay by early following the mower with the tedder, this 

 with the rake, and then the ''buncher," letting the hay 

 remain in bunches over night and dragging it to the 

 stack the next day. Others take from the windrow to 

 wagons by a hay-loader, preferably one operated by a 

 belt. 



After all is said and done, and regardless of thrift and 

 yield, it is unquestionable that the grower of alfalfa in 

 humid regions meets with difficulties in the matter of 

 satisfactory curing that in some years are almost or 

 quite disheartening, and of a character to which his 

 brother in arid territory is virtually a total stranger. 

 Curing in the two regions presents different problems, 

 with advantage all the time favoring the man in the 

 country of little rainfall. 



Second and later cuttings are not so much endangered 

 by rains as is the first, and, hence, these are usually cured 

 in better condition. Notwithstanding this, virtually all 

 tests point out that the first cutting has more feeding value 

 and is better relished by all kinds of stock. Most farm- 



