EED CLOVER. 133 



should be the straw. The straw will act as an absorbent, 

 and during the process will itself be greatly increased in 

 value as food for stock, having imparted to it the flavor and 

 aroma of the clover plant. All the wheat straw on a farm 

 could be utilized in this way, and the amount of manure in 

 the farmer's barn largely increased. 



Still another method of curing clover hay is the one 

 practiced in Ireland. By this method the hay is also 

 cured by self fermentation. Cured in this way it retains all 

 its nutritive properties and only parts with its water. The 

 sap vessels are by this process supposed to be expanded by 

 the circulation of the liquid juices by heat, and the super- 

 fluous moisture exhaled. On cooling, the sap vessels con- 

 tract, and thus future inner fermentation is prevented and 

 the nutritive elements preserved. The Irish Farmers' 

 Journal, in giving an account of this process of curing 

 clover hay, says : 



" The clover intended for hay is mown and left to lie in 

 the swath until 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the following 

 day to dry. Of course these swaths are twelve or eighteen 

 inches thick. They are then raked together in small shocks 

 which are afterwards made into larger ones, such as would 

 require six or eight horses to draw. Two or more men are 

 kept upon the large ones tramping them down, so as to make 

 them more compact and induce a more speedy fermenta- 

 tion. If the weather is warm, fermentation will begin in 

 a few hours, as will be known by the honey-like smell. 

 When a proper fermentation has begun, the cocks, on being 

 opened, will appear brownish and may be spread. After 

 drying it may be carried to the hay loft without any dan- 

 ger of a second fermentation." 



It should always be borne in mind that clover hay will 

 not shed rain. When stacked out in the 'field, it should 

 either be thatched or have a thick top-covering of wheat 

 straw or other hay. The tedder is thought by many to be 

 indispensable in saving good clover hay. Unquestionably 



