40 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



considerable hay is baled for the export trade, a great 

 deal of it is double compressed. The ordinary bales 

 are put into a hydraulic press and the size is reduced 

 about one-half, so that a ton of double-compressed hay 

 occupies only fifty-five cubic feet, or a cubic space less 

 than four feet each way. Hay thus compressed secures 

 lower freight rates than that in ordinary bales. The 

 practice of baling from the cock, or even from the 

 windrow, is becoming common in some sections, espe- 

 cially on the Pacific Coast, where fine weather is always 

 assured in the haying season (except near the ocean) 

 When baled direct from the cock or windrow it is nec- 

 essary to let the hay get a little dryer than it needs to 

 be for stacking to avoid heating in the bales, and the 

 bales should not be closely bulked until they have had 

 time to " go through the sweat. " 



GRAZING THE AFTERMATH 



It is a common practice in this country to allow 

 stock to run on the meadow after the hay is off unless 

 it is desired to cut a second crop. In this case stock 

 is usually turned in after the last crop is off. (Tim- 

 othy makes only one crop of hay, while clover makes 

 two, and alfalfa three or more in a season. ) In the 

 North there is little harm in this if the number of ani- 

 mals is not too large. It is always unwise to let stock 

 eat a meadow down very close, especially late in the 

 fall. The meadow is much more liable to injury from 

 cold in winter when left bare. It is decidedly bad 

 policy to turn stock on a meadow in wet weather, for 

 they puddle the soil and cut up the sod with their 

 hoofs. Timothy should never be pastured close, for it 



