ALFALFA CULTURE IN NEAV ENGLAND 37 



The theory of curing alfalfa is to save all the leaves on the plant 

 for 45 per cent of the protein of the hay is contained in the leaves. 

 This is best done by raking before the leaves dry to a crisp. In 

 the wilted stage they continue to draw water from the stems and 

 evaporate it, thus the process of curing goes on in the haycock. 

 Some have adopted drying racks for curing alfalfa hay. The wilted 

 alfalfa is piled on these at once from the windrow and with a hay 

 cap on the top is safe from any storm that may come. A week's 

 time is usually sufficient to cure the rack of hay thoroughly when 

 in the middle of a good bright day it is drawn directly from the 

 stack to the barn. As a safeguard to preserve the stand, it is 

 not best to cut later than September 5. 



Yields per Acre. 



The average yield per acre here in New England is about 3.2 

 tons per season, according to Doctor Brooks, in his cooperative 

 experiments. It is usual to cut three crops and of course the first 

 is the heaviest. The amount of the other two depends upon the 

 amount of rainfall through the growing season. The first crop 

 usually is above two tons per acre and each of the other two, one 

 ton each. 



As to the risk from storing alfalfa hay too green, I asked Professor 

 Moore, of Wisconsin, if he ever knew of a case of spontaneous com- 

 bustion and he answered as follows: 



" I do not know of a single case of spontaneous combustion that 

 has occurred from storing alfalfa in barns." 



Value of the Hay. 



It might be asked what is the best use of alfalfa hay on the farm. 

 My answer to that would be that there is not a single farm animal 

 but will eat it with a relish and thrive upon it. It is the richest of 

 all forage crops in protein, so it is fed by dairy men who feed scien- 

 tifically for the largest milk production. It is the best of all hays 

 for horses that have unusually hard work, and for growing colts it 

 has no equal. For poultry, you are well aware of the demand for 



