HARVESTING 



8i 



MOST PROTEIN IN EARLY CUTTINGS 



The Utah experiment station found by a feedin.s: test 

 that the early cut alfalfa was worth far more than any 

 later cutting. It reported : 



The Kansas station found the protein content to be : 



stage of Growth Protein content 



When i-io in bloom 18.5 per cent. 



When 1-2 in bloom 17.2 " " 



When in full bloom 14.4 " " 



CONSTANT WATCHFULNESS DEMANDED 



In humid regions, the alfalfa farmer at the time of 

 the first cutting often finds himself in a trying position. 

 The value of the leaves demands early cutting, and 

 this may be just when it is likely to rain with great 

 frequency. He knows that a wetting will injure his 

 hay, and that this results in more or less loss of some of 

 its most valuable parts from the hour of cutting until it 

 is thoroughly cured. The Colorado station reports that 

 alfalfa hay left out for fifteen days after cutting and 

 rained on twice, lost 26.1 per cent of its feeding value. 

 Hay left out for seven days and having only one light 

 rain, lost 10 per cent. Another lot left out three days, 

 without rain, lost 5 per cent. Wetting delays the cur- 

 ing, and by the washing the hay loses much sugar, dex- 



