296 FIELD CROPS 



and will cure earlier in the day than hay that is not cut till 

 the following morning. 



365. Method of Cutting. Practically all the hay in the 

 United States is now cut with the mower, though small 

 acreages of swampy or rocky land in New England and else- 

 where are cut with the scythe. The mowers in ordinary use 

 cut swaths from 5 to 7 feet wide. One-horse mowers are 

 made which cut a 3^/2 or 4-foot swath, but usually two 

 horses are used with a machine cutting 5 or 6 feet in width. 

 Cutting a swath more than 6 feet wide is hard work for 

 two horses, and it is also difficult to keep long cutter-bars 

 in line. 



366. Curing. The length of time that is required to cure 

 a crop sufficiently for storing depends on the stage of maturity 

 of the crop, the particular plant or plants which are to be 

 made into hay, the yield, and the weather conditions. No 

 general rules can be laid down. The desirable thing is to 

 get the hay dry enough for storing with the least possible 

 loss of food value and palatability. The food value may be 

 reduced by washing by rains, by bleaching from rains or 

 dews, by the loss of leaves and other tender parts when the 

 crop is too mature or too dry for handling, and by the mold- 

 ing or rotting of the hay. Curing in the windrow or in the 

 cock is desirable in order to prevent much loss of leaves, 

 particularly in clover and alfalfa hay. Clover hay should 

 not be handled more than is absolutely necessary after 

 it is cured. 



The use of modern machinery, such as side-delivery rakes 

 and the hay loader, does away entirely with the cock, for the 

 hay is taken up directly from the swath or the small windrow. 

 This plan is often necessary on account of the scarcity of 

 labor, but it is generally followed at a sacrifice in the quality 

 of the hay. Curing partially in the swath and then raking 



