PROPER PERIOD OF CUTTING FOR HAY. 161 



although perennial in their general habits, when once they 

 have perfected their seeds their powers of continuous de- 

 velopment receive a severe check, from which they recover 

 but slowly, and if adverse conditions should supervene, 

 are very likely to succumb altogether. The chances of 

 future growth depend greatly upon the point of maturity 

 the crop had reached at the period of cutting. If the flower- 

 ing had barely commenced, but little injury would have 

 been sustained ; but if it had made much progress, it would 

 be advisable not to attempt another crop for hay until two 

 or three seasons had given it time to recover its lost vigour 

 of growth. 



The mode of cutting and of making is carried out in 

 the same way as that already described (p. 108). The 

 same care should be taken not to disturb it more than 

 can be helped while lying on the ground, and not to cart 

 it for stacking until it be sufficiently dry. At the same 

 time, it is very desirable that it should not be left .out on 

 the ground too long, as it runs the risk of injury from rain ; 

 and the fibre of the plant, when too much dried, becomes 

 less palatable and less digestible as an article of food. 

 Although less liable to heat in the stack than most of 

 the other leguminous plants, it is more liable to injury 

 from rain. Even a slight shower while lying on the 

 ground affects it, as the fistular character of the stems 

 induces a capillary attraction, and the moisture is speedily 

 sucked in, and renders the plant liable to mildew in 

 the stack. The precaution of stacking it with layers of 

 straw intermixed with layers of the crop, enables it to 

 be stacked much earlier than it otherwise would be safe 

 to do, and renders it in all respects better for fodder 

 purposes. 



When intended for a seed crop, and this is never 

 advisable, for the reason just given, except with the 

 last crop before breaking it up, the early growth in the 



