174 Feeds and Feeding. 



The author, iu an unpublished duplicate experiment conducted many 

 years ago, reached the same conclusion. 



240. Making hay. — The widely varying character of grass crops, 

 the dampness or dryness of the soil of the meadows, the humidity 

 of the atmosphere, and the intensity and continuity of sunlight and 

 heat, are all modifying factors that combine to keep the curing of 

 grasses into hay one of those arts which cannot be very helpfully 

 discussed in books. However, some interesting and important points 

 bearing on the subject will be considered here, drawn largely from 

 Storer's classic work on agriculture.^ 



Tho an unweighable quantity, the aroma of grass has real value 

 in rendering hay palatable. When the sun dissipates the dew from 

 the grass drying in the meadow, we detect the escaping aroma, be- 

 cause the dew in rising carries some of it into the atmosphere. This 

 is one reason why hay should not remain scattered over the meadow 

 at night. When new-mown hay lies in the sunlight, the bleaching 

 which we observe indicates that harmful chemical changes are taking 

 place within the grass stems and leaves. Green-colored, sweet-smell- 

 ing hay is really the best, and prudent stockmen wall not overlook 

 such seemingly small points as preserving the aroma and preventing 

 bleaching. Grass stems remain alive for some time after they have 

 been severed by the mower, and the leaves, so long as they remain 

 succulent and green, continue to exhale moisture. If grass with the 

 leaves still fresh is gathered into bundles or cocks, the leaves will 

 continue drawing water from the stems, thereby ridding them of 

 moisture and hastening the drying grass toward the condition of hay. 

 In this fact we have an explanation of one of the advantages of 

 curing grass in cocks or bundles rather than by spreading it thinly 

 in the hot sun. Hay cocked in the afternoon entraps much w^arm 

 air, and the mass remains in a condition favorable to the transpira- 

 tion, or giving off, of moisture during the night. The heat yielded 

 by the plant in still carrying on its life functions and the warm 

 air entrapped by grass gathered in the afternoon should not be 

 confused with the heat which may develop in partially cured or 

 damp hay thru fermentation. When hay that has been cocked for 

 a time is exposed to the air in flakes, the moisture, w^hich has been 

 evenly diffused thruout the mass of stems and their leaves, is yielded 

 up rapidly and such material is soon dried. While hay can be made 

 without sweating in the cock, it is much better for having undergone 

 such action. 



^ Agriculture in Some of its Eelations with Chemistry. 



