38 Wyoming Experiment Station. 



WATER EXTRACT. 



It is often found more difficult to cure alfalfa than some 

 other hays when the haying season is wet, and it was thought 

 that there might be some chemical reason for this. 



Green alfalfa contains a relatively larger percentage of 

 water than native hay, and the stems are more easily bruised, 

 which would have a great effect upon the curing. Upon wet- 

 ting in the process of curing alfalfa it will tend to discolor and 

 mold more easily than native hay. It is found that the water 

 soluble material in the dry alfalfa hay properly cured is greater 

 than in the native hay used in the experiments already men- 

 tioned, as the following table clearly shows : 



AVERAGE .................. 27.43 5.93 21.5O 



NTn 4 native bav J 22 - 36 2 - 65 19 - 71 



MO. 4 native nay .................... -j 22 5g 2 6Q 



No ^ native hav 2L95 2 - 50 19 - 45 



No. 5 native hay .................... - 



22 Q6 2 59 19 



AVERAGE .................. 22.23 2.58 19.65 



No 6 native hay (wire grass) ..... j 



AVERAGE .................. 18.84 3.79 15.05 



Such a large percentage of soluble nutritious material as 

 is present in alfalfa make it an excellent subject for bacterial 

 attack and subsequent fermentation when dampened during 

 the process of drying. This may be one important reason for 

 the ease with which alfalfa discolors and ferments, compared 

 with other well known and much used forage. 



