HAYING TOOLS. 303 



rake to hurry with when showers are coming and 

 much hay needs to go at once into cock, or for 

 gleaning the field after the hay has been taken off. 

 The side delivery is not a good rake for gleaning. 



The Hay Loader. Concerning the usefulness of 

 the hay loader in the alfalfa field there may easily 

 be two or more opinions. It saves labor, sometimes. 

 It may crumble and waste the leaves. It may cause 

 the hay to be left in such shape that it is ready to 

 take every drop of sudden springing showers. This 

 is indeed the worst difficulty with the hay loader. 

 It cannot take hay up unless left in the swath or 

 windrow. It is not practicable to leave hay in the 

 swath for it loses its leaves if exposed too long to 

 the hot sun. Windrow loaders do not sacrifice so 

 many leaves, but the hay is ready to be wet by every 

 passing shower. On the other hand if one wishes 

 to use ignorant and unskilled labor to put hay on 

 wagons he may find the hay loaders an economical 

 way to get it there. 



There are various types of hay loaders. For al- 

 falfa hay the best have endless aprons or strap car- 

 riers to take up the hay. The ones that push it up 

 by aid of spiked wooden strips are not very effi- 

 cient and knock off many leaves. 



Sweep Rakes. A better thing in nearly every way 

 is the wide sweep rake for gathering the alfalfa to- 

 gether and conveying it for short distances to the 

 barn or stack. These sweep rakes are operated 

 each by one man. He goes afield, gathers his load 



