24 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE' 



thoroughly curing in the cocks, any danger of subsequent 

 heating in the stack or mow is largely removed. Under 

 the best conditions hay may be stacked or housed the same 

 day that it is cut, but this is seldom done until the second 

 or third day. 



19. Curing of hay. In curing hay under ideal con- 

 ditions, three different processes take place ; namely, 

 (1) a reduction in water content from about 70 per cent 

 (60 per cent to 85 per cent) in the green plant to about 

 15 per cent (7 per cent to 25 per cent) when dried ; (2) en- 

 zymatic changes in the composition of the hay, usually 

 with the development of a characteristic aroma ; (3) bleach- 

 ing, due to destruction of the chlorophyll by the sunlight 

 which is increased by the action of the dew. 



The conditions sought in prime hay are bright color, that 

 is, as green as possible ; good aroma ; retention of leaves 

 (in legumes) ; and freedom from " dust " or mold spores. 



20. Haymaking under humid conditions. While hay- 

 making in favorable weather is simple, it becomes greatly 

 complicated by cloudiness, rain and heavy dews. Rain 

 is injurious both because it delays drying and because it 

 leaches out soluble nutrients. If long continued, espe- 

 cially in warm weather, it induces the growth of various 

 molds and other fungi, and the hay becomes " dusty. " 



Two processes to facilitate curing of hay under un- 

 certain conditions are commonly employed. The first 

 of these is designed to hasten drying by turning the grass 

 over as soon as the top is dried, using pitchforks if done 

 by hand, or a tedder if by horse power. Where the crop 

 is very heavy, this is done while the hay is in the swath, 

 but usually it is first raked into windrows. The second 

 process is to pile into cocks after partially curing in wind- 

 rows. The object here is mainly to reduce the surface 



