GRASS AND HAY 



199 



mow is apt to take place. For this method to be a success excellent 

 haying weather is necessary. It frequently happens that repeated 

 rains make a prime quality of hay out of the question where the hay 

 is to be cured in the field. In extreme cases the silo is to be recom- 

 mended as a means of making the best utilization of the rain-threat- 

 ened hay crop. 



Importance of the Leaves for Hay. A considerable percentage 

 of red clover leaves is apt to be lost during the haying process, owing 

 to their tendency to crumble if dried rather than cured. The 

 leaves are much richer in protein than the stems; while they con- 

 stitute on an average only about 40 per cent of the total weight of 

 the plant, they contain nearly two-thirds of the protein of the whole 

 plant. Owing to improper methods of harvesting and to un- 

 timely rains one-half of the leaves may be lost, thus resulting in a 

 marked deterioration in the feeding value of the hay. The table 

 below indicates the results of the analyses of hay from a single plant 

 of red clover cut when one-fourth the blooms turned brown and 

 cured under cover. 



Results of analyses of the different parts of the red clover plant. 



Stacking Red Clover Hay. The same general rules used for 

 stacking other hays apply to the stacking of red clover hay; but it 

 must be remembered that red clover sheds water much less readily 

 than the grasses and for this reason greater care is necessary in 

 building and protecting the stack from the action of rain. It is ad- 

 visable to build some kind of foundation for the stack. This founda- 

 tion may be composed of poles or rails or other less valuable hay. 

 By care in stacking a comparatively large bulge may be put on the 

 sides of the stack. This reduces the proportion of the hay in the 

 stack bottom and causes the rain to drain off at some distance from 

 the base of the stack. By keeping the middle full and well trampled 

 the hay in settling will settle in such manner as to cause the water 

 to run off rather than into the stack. As red clover absorbs moisture 

 readily that which lies next to the ground is almost sure to be spoiled. 

 If canvas covers are not available for covering hay which must be 

 left outside, it is an excellent plan to top out the stacks with green 

 grass, straw, or millet. After the stacks have settled they should be 

 retopped with more grass or straw, placing an additional layer as far 

 down the sides of the stack as possible. This materially reduces the 

 amount of clover hay exposed to the elements. 



When the hay is stacked or stowed away in the barn in a slightly 

 damp condition it is sometimes the practice to mix salt with the 



