172 CLOVERS 



medium red clover will apply equally to alfalfa. 

 (See page 95.) The mowing should begin as soon 

 as the dew has lifted in the morning. The tedder 

 should follow after the hay has wilted somewhat, 

 and later, the horse rake, the aim being to get the 

 crop made into winrows, preferably small, before 

 nightfall, and when the weather is uncertain, the 

 aim should be also to put the hay up into small 

 cocks the same evening. This may not always be 

 practicable. If the loss of leaves is likely to be con- 

 siderable when raking the hay, raking should be 

 deferred until the influence of evening dews begins 

 to be felt. After the hay has become wilted it should 

 not be stirred or handled any more than is really 

 necessary, that loss of leaves and of the tips of the 

 stems and branches may be avoided, and the 

 handling during the curing process should be done 

 to the greatest extent practicable before or after the 

 sunshine has waxed strong. In showery weather, 

 when small areas are being harvested, hay caps can 

 be used with profit. Where large areas are to be 

 harvested and where there is no danger of rain, 

 the crop when nicely wilted is drawn into winrows, 

 and in these the curing is completed without fur- 

 ther stirring or handling. From the winrows it is 

 drawn usually on rakes of a certain make, and the 

 rake loads thus slid over the ground are lifted bodily 

 onto the stack by the use of the "rickers." (See 

 page loo.) 



Storing. When cured in cocks, these are pref- 

 erably made small to facilitate quick curing, but 

 usually from two to four days are necessary to com- 



