GRASS AND HAY 183 



just stated, but because of rains during the haying season. The ordi- 

 nary methods of curing hay in wet weather usually result in a prod- 

 uct that has but little feeding or market value. There are methods 

 of curing hay in wet weather by which a fair grade can be obtained, 

 and its increased value will more than pay for the extra labor in- 

 volved. The subject of curing is a large one and details of methods 

 can not be given in this paper. 



Value of Low-Grade Hay. As long as the present system of 

 buying is in vogue, just so long will the problem of how to dispose 

 of low-grade hay remain unsolved. Therefore, the first thing to 

 do to keep low-grade hay from going to market is to make a read- 

 justment of the price paid for it in the country, so that the different 

 grades will correspond more nearly with those for which the hay is 

 sold in the city. If this system is adopted it will aid materially in 

 decreasing the production of low-grade hay. If the poor hay does 

 not go to market then the question arises, What shall be done with 

 this kind of hay? Low-grade hay is much more valuable to the 

 producer than to anyone else if he will feed it on his farm. This is 

 true, first, because he will save the cost of baling and hauling, and 

 second, because a ton of timothy hay contains fertilizing elements 

 to the value of about $6. If fed and the manure is well taken care 

 of and returned to the soil at least one-half of the fertilizing elements 

 will become available for the succeeding crops. 



Low-grade hay makes a fair roughage for idle work stock and 

 other stock that are being "roughed" through the winter. After 

 getting considerable out of the hay by feeding, there is still about $3 

 worth of plant food to return to the soil. As a general thing, sell- 

 ing crops from the farm does not represent the highest type of farm- 

 ing, and it is only under certain conditions that it is profitable with- 

 out lowering or seriously affecting the productivity of the land. 



Grades of Hay Adopted by the National Hay Association. 

 In order that the farmer may know definitely what are the differ- 

 ent grades of hay, the rules of the National Hay Association, which 

 have been generally adopted in the United States, are quoted here- 

 with. 



Choice timothy hay. Shall be timothy not mixed with over 

 one-twentieth other grasses, properly cured, bright, natural color, 

 sound, and well baled. 



No. 1 timothy hay. Shall be timothy with not more than one- 

 eighth mixed with clover or other tame grasses, properly cured, good 

 color, sound, and well baled. 



No. 2 timothy hay. Shall be timothy not good enough for No. 

 1, not over one-fourth mixed with clover or other tame grasses, fair 

 color, sound, and well baled. 



No. 3 timothy hay. Shall include all hay not good enough for 

 other grades, sound, and well baled. 



No-grade hay. Shall include all hay badly cured, stained, 

 thrashed, or in any way unsound. 



Light clover mixed hay. Shall be timothy mixed with clover, 



