THE IKRIGATIOX AGE. 



241 



trying to explain to disgusted readers why their maga- 

 zines failed to come. A single recent example in own own 

 case was sixteen mail sacks of Popular Mechanics Maga- 

 zines for the southeasttrn states which were lost at some 

 little flag station and did not turn up for more than two 

 weeks. 



Another feature not approved by lovers of fair play 

 was the autocratic manner with which the postmaster- 

 general assumed to himself the province of both court and 

 jury and designated which publications should go by 

 freight and which should still enjoy the former fast-train 

 service. It is certainly no more than plain justire that all 

 publications entered under exactly the same conditions 

 and requirements as mail matter of the second class, and 



ALFALFA. 



HARVESTING FOR HAY. 



HONORABLE FRANKLYN KNIGHT LANE. 



Secretary of the Interior. 



The accompanying half-tone shows a good likeness of our secre- 

 tary of the Interior, Honorable Franklyn Knight Lane, who was 

 formerly engaged >in the practice of law in San Francisco. Secretary 

 Lane was appointed a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 in 1906. He has a big job on his hands in taking care of the Interior 

 Department, and his friends hope for excellent results from his ad- 

 ministration. 



all paying exactly the same rate of postage to the Govern- 

 ment should each receive the same service. To grant 

 some the favor of fast-train service and consign others to 

 the handicap of freight trains, and that at the caprice of 

 one cabinet officer, is at least un-American; especially as 

 the postmaster-general is his own court of last resort on 

 his own rulings, and the publisher has absolutely no ap- 

 peal. 



It is conceivable that such a condition might exist in 

 Russia, but, of all places, not in the United States. The 

 hope is again expressed that the new head of that greatest 

 business department of the government will in his own 

 good time investigate this rank abuse and deal justly. 



By Rupert L. Stewart, 



Assistant in Agronomy, New Mexico College of 

 Agriculture. 



Forage crops suffer both in yield and quality 

 if harvested too early or too late. Much damage is 

 done, also, when too much or too little time is given 

 for curing. Alfalfa is especially susceptible to mis- 

 treatment because the leaves may be lost, the color 

 spoiled and soluble nutrients lost by a little neglect ; 

 and it pays good returns for care owing to the high 

 price of a first class product. First class alfalfa hay 

 has fine stems, many leaves, and a bright, pea-green 

 color. 



If the alfalfa has made a rank growth it will be 

 found necessary to harvest at an earlier period than 

 if it has grown slowly. Rank growth means coarse 

 hay. This is why the second cutting of hay is 

 usually coarser and not as good in quality as the 

 first cutting. If the alfalfa is allowed to stand too 

 long before cutting the lower leaves will turn yel- 

 low and fall and the part that the hay buyer most 

 desires is lost. Likewise failure to harvest at the 

 proper time causes the hay to lose some of its color 

 and instead of having the desired pea-green shade 

 it will have a brownish cast. If cut too green it is 

 apt to heat and a less amount of nutrients will be 

 obtained. Our experiments show that the best re- 

 sults are obtained when the alfalfa is cut when it is 

 in about one-eighth bloom. With the basin . sys- 

 tem of irrigation a mower of more than five-foot cut 

 seems impracticable. 



As soon after cutting as possible the hay should 

 be gathered into wind rows with a horse rake. This 

 should not be done, however, until it will dump 

 without "hanging" or clinging to the rake teeth. 

 Under ordinary circumstances not more than twelve 

 hours of sunshine are necessary. The hay should 

 not lie in the wind rows for very long, but should 

 be put into cocks of medium size and there left to 

 cure until ready to bale. In this way the hay is well 

 cured and gets very little bleaching by the sun. The 

 time that the hay should be left in the cock will 

 depend upon the condition in which it was cocked. 

 It must be sufficiently cured so that it will not 

 shrink or mould. The hay should break readily 

 when a bunch is taken in both hands and twisted. 



Baling in the field from the cocks seems to be 

 the most economical and satisfactory way to care 

 for the crop. Fewer tools are needed, only a bull 

 rake being required, and the hay is less handled 

 thereby insuring the least loss of leaves. The bales 

 should be put under a good cover immediately, as 

 they will be greatly damaged by rains if exposed. 



The output of the Nampa Co-operative Cream- 

 ery, a farmers' organization on the Boise project 

 in Idaho, is increasing rapidly. 



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