82 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



trin and other soluble matters, and also develops fungi. 

 However, the only thing to do is to cut, exercising good 

 judgment of course as to the amount each day. 



LOSSES IN CURING 



Headden founds at the Colorado station, that in an 

 average alfalfa plant the stems amounted to forty to 

 fifty per cent of the weight, while with very leafy, small- 

 stemmed plants the leaves sometimes form more than 

 sixty per cent of the entire weight. The leaves were read- 

 ily lost if the hay was not handled carefully. He con- 

 cluded that the minimum loss from the falling off of the 

 leaves and stems in careful haymaking amounts to from 

 fifteen to twenty per cent ; and in cases where conditions 

 have been unfavorable, as much as sixty or even sixty- 

 six per cent of the entire dry crop is lost. Stated in an- 

 other way, with the best of conditions, and with great 

 care, for every 1,700 pounds of hay taken off the field, 

 at least 300 pounds of leaves and stems are left scattered 

 on the ground, "and, in very bad cases, as much as 1,200 

 pounds may be left for each 800 pounds taken." A 

 study of these facts should induce the careful haymaker 

 to use all possible skill in curing alfalfa, and they show 

 that it will be profitable to expend more than the usual 

 amount of labor in saving the leaves, considering that 

 they are worth, pound for pound, nearly four times as 

 much as the stems. 



HARVESTING IN HUMID REGIONS 



Ordinarily, it is not well to cut alfalfa immediately 

 after a heavy rain, because the wet ground will operate 

 against proper curing. Begin cutting in the morning, 



