GRASS AND HAY 193 



feed. At the Kansas Experiment Station, a strip through a field of 

 alfalfa was cut when one-tenth was in bloom, another strip was cut 

 after full bloom had passed. The strip cut early was nearly ready to 

 cut the second time when that cut after full bloom was being har- 

 vested the first time. The strip cut early grew vigorously through 

 the season and made three cuttings and a good aftermath. The 

 strip cut after full bloom gave a low yield the first cutting and did not 

 grow sufficiently to yield a good second cutting. Early cuttings in- 

 vigorate the plant. 



The late cutting of the first crop injures the plant more than at 

 any other time, and it is found profitable to cut alfalfa the 

 first time as soon as one-tenth was in bloom, even though the weather 

 was bad and though it was known that the crop would spoil in 

 curing. The increased yield from succeeding cuttings over that cut 

 late much more than makes up for the loss of the first crop. (Kan. 

 B. 109.) 



Machinery for Making Hay. In the East and Middle West it 

 is the practice to use the ordinary haying machinery in the making 

 of alfalfa hay. In the West, however, special machinery which 

 results in decreasing hand labor to a great extent is used. Mowing 

 machines cutting a swath six or eight feet in width are sometimes 

 used on the large alfalfa fields. The rakes are the ordinary dump 

 rakes, or, maybe, side-delivery rakes which leave the hay in a con- 

 tinuous windrow parallel with the swath. This is then in proper 

 shape for loading onto the hayrack with a hay loader or for handling 

 with sweep rakes, buck rakes, or "go-devils." At the barn or stack, 

 hay forks or stackers do away with the necessity of hand pitching. 

 With them it is possible to lift from 100 to 500 pounds of hay from 

 the load and place it at any desired place on the stack or in the mow. 



Importance of the Leaves for Hay. One of the dangers to be 

 guarded against in alfalfa hay making is the shattering of the leaves. 

 Only two-fifths of the total weight of the alfalfa plant is in the leaves, 

 yet three-fifths of all the protein is contained in them. In other 

 words, 44 pounds of the leaves contain as much protein as 100 

 pounds of stems. Analyses show that the leaves are somewhat 

 richer than bran for feeding purposes. Much of the loss of leaves 

 ordinarily occurring during harvesting may be saved by proper at- 

 tention to the curing operations. (F. B. 339.) 



The treatment of alfalfa for hay is practically the same as that 

 of the grasses. It is cut when the field is about one-tenth in bloom, 

 or as some growers put it, when the field is just coming into bloom. 

 At this time the percentage of food materials in the plant is high, 

 rapidly decreasing with ensuing age. From one to one and one- 

 half tons of hay are usually secured at the first cutting of the season 

 from a good stand of mature alfalfa, The quantity is usually 

 smaller at each succeeding cutting of the year. The number of pos- 

 sible cuttings varies with the latitude, climate and other conditions. 

 From three to six cuttings per year may be secured, the latter num- 

 ber not being unusual in regions of the South where the plant 

 flourishes. Cuttings are made as early as April 15th, in some parts 



