66 LUCERNE CULTURE. 



into feeding troughs, sprinkling with water. According to my 

 knowledge, one morgen of lucerne by cutting will feed as many 

 birds as two morgen, with birds running on it as they tramp and 

 pick out all the young buds. Of course this means an extra run . 

 for birds and a little labour for cutting up, but it pays. 



Unfermented Hay. 



(By HERBERT COLLETT.) 



Following is an extract from a paper en the subject read by 

 Mr. Herbert Collett to the Oradock Farmers 1 Association on 

 October 4th, 1907 :- 



Hay-making should begin in October if the fields have been 

 watered after the winter. As a rule we wait for the buds to form 

 and just a few flowers t j appear before mowing ; don't wait longer, 

 as the hay will grow coarse and stalky, especially if the field is at 

 all thin. The first crop of the season is an exception to the rule ; 

 don't wait for it to bud or flower, but cut when high enough, or 

 you will lose a lot of time, for owing to the cold nights in Septem- 

 ber it takes longer to flower, and the straw gets hard and stalky. 

 This first crop will not be so heavy as the next three during the 

 hot summer months, and the next two again during the autumn 

 and nearing winter will be light. These two crops, the last in 

 particular, do not flower, but make excellent and saleable hay, 

 being very leafy and soft. 



For selling make green coloured hay, as it commands the best 

 price and is safer to make if you let it get thoroughly dry, and ride 

 it on to stack while damp with dew in the morning, taking care 

 not to have too much dew oil a cloudy morning, or on the other 

 hand, if no dew do not touch the hay until there is or you will lose 

 all the leaf. 



In hot weather it is safe to rake into wind-rows the second day 

 after mowing, and in the afternoon of the third day examine the - 

 straw or stalk, which should be quite dry before the dew gets on 

 it, and ride it on to stack early on the fourth morning. If the 

 straw is still damp on the afternoon of the third day it will be too - 

 wet next morning to ride on, rather give it another day. 



Just before riding on to stack rake the rows into small cocks, 

 this saves labour and the dew gets well mixed with the hay. Good 

 green hay has lately been selling at 4s to 4s. 3d. per 100 Ibs. free 

 on rail, or 6s. to 6s. 6d. on the Johannesburg market, which is 

 equal to 4s. and 4s. 6d. here. 



A fair average to expect from your fields would be about one 

 ton to the acre per cutting, when the fields are well established. 

 Some fields often get grassy in the rainy season, and this mixed , 



