GRASS AND HAY 203 



ready, August or September, generally, the vines are raked up the 

 same or the following day and put into cocks of the size that two 

 men can handle with a fork when cured. They are left in the cocks, 

 for four or five days, being turned over once or twice during the 

 time, then hauled to the barn or stack. In case they are put in a 

 stack a good covering of grass hay is necessary in order to shed the 

 water. The sides of the stack should be built straight up to prevent 

 the water spoiling the outside hay. 



Putting in cock is desirable because the hay is then cured by 

 the circulation of air through it, and not in the direct sunlight. Any 

 hay is better when cured in the shade. If the weather is damp or 

 rainy the hay is not raked at all till cured, when it is carried directly 

 to the place where it is to be stored. If it continues to rain for 

 several days after cutting, do not touch the hay till ready to put 

 up, and then be sure that it is dry when packed away. This is a 

 precaution that must be observed in storing any kind of hay do 

 not put up when even moist with dew or it will mold. The crop 

 may sometimes be lost in a protracted wet spell, but can generally be 

 saved in such condition as to make very good forage. 



Methods of putting up green are practiced and are entirely 

 satisfactory when the vines are so packed that air can circulate 

 freely through them. One of the methods of putting up green is 

 to erect a stack pole and nail a strong crosspiece on the pole extend- 

 ing to the outer edges of the stack. Put on a layer of the green 

 vines 2 or 3 feet thick, then nail on another crosspiece, and so on to 

 top of stack, finishing off with grass hay. The crosspieces prevent 

 the vines packing down closely and at the same time allow the air 

 'to enter the stack. Hay can be cured and kept by this method. It 

 is somewhat more expensive than curing in the field, as it necessitates 

 the handling of a great amount of water in the green vines, and the 

 cost of stack pole, crosspieces, etc., amounts to something. (F. B. 

 222.) 



Feeding Value of Cowpea Hay. The feeding value of cowpea 

 hay has long been recognized, as it has been used extensively for all 

 kinds of stock in the Southern States. With a fair number of ripe 

 peas in the hay it has been found to be satisfactory when fed alone 

 to stock at work, and can be used very successfully as maintenance 

 ration for horses, mules, cattle, sheep, and even hogs. The farmers 

 in the sugar-cane districts of Louisiana make a very extensive use 

 of cowpea hay for their work stock, it being practically the only 

 roughage used. It is generally claimed that horses or mules at 

 work stand hot weather better when fed cowpea hay than when fed 

 a grass hay and corn. The difference in the appearance of the 

 animals is also very much in favor of the cowpea. In a three 

 months' test at the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station 

 the rations fed two high-grade Percheron mares, used as a team and 

 receiving the same care and shelter, differed only in the use of 10 

 pounds of cowpea hay in one and the same quantity of wheat bran 

 in the other. The horse fed bran just held its own in weight while 

 the one fed cowpea hay gained a little. The cowpea ration was 5 



