May, 1938] 



Experiments With Grass Hay 



21 



ing in a difference of 43.7 pounds per acre. This is equal to protein 

 that would be assimilated by cows from approximately 300 pounds of a 

 20% dairy ration. 



Second cuttings were made on these plots in seven of the eight years 

 of the test. No harvest was taken in 1936 as the growth was deemed too 

 short to be satisfactorily harvested. Second cuttings were made on the 

 same date on all plots during the first week in September, about the 

 time a farmer would normally take his second cutting or start to pas- 

 ture off the rowen crop. 



Table XXII. 



Tlie heaviest second cutting from these plots was obtained in 1931, 

 when the yields varied from 922 pounds in the A series to 239 in Series 

 F. The lightest yield (aside from 1936) was recorded in 1934 when the 

 average for all the plots was but 152 pounds of dry matter per acre. The 

 rainfall in 1931 was fairly evenly distributed through the spring and 

 summer months, totaling 20.89 inches from March through August, 

 whereas the 1934 rainfall totalled 17.39 inches, although in June, July 

 and August but 7.1 inches of rain fell as against 11.42 inches during 

 the same months of 1931. 



The data in Table XXII indicate slightly heavier harvests and a 

 greater protein yield in the second harvests from the plots which were 

 first cut June 10 and 20 with very little difference among the remaining 

 plots. 



Rainfall data covering the six months from March to August for the 

 years 1930-37 are presented in Table XXIII. During these years the 

 driest six months were those of 1932 and the wettest in 1933. This lat- 

 ter year was not the most favorable hay year since the 12-inch rainfall 

 recorded in April 1933 appeared to come too early to be of much benefit 

 to hay growth and 1931 with its evenly distributed rainfall proved to be 

 the best hay year for both first and second cuttings during the period 

 studied. It must be kept in mind, however, that the 1931 crop was 

 favored by the rainfall occurring much earlier in the life of the stand. 



This experiment was conducted for a longer period of years than was 

 necessary to establish comparative values of hay harvested at different 

 dates for the reason that it seemed desirable to determine the effect of 



