MARKETING HAY AT COUNTRY POINTS. 3 



the best methods to use on individual farms in the more important 

 hay-producing sections of the United States. (See list of haymak- 

 ing bulletins on p. 28.) 



IMPROPER CURING. 



Present trade rules governing the grading of hay say that the 

 better grades shall be properly cured and sound. This is another way 

 of saying that only hay having a good or natural green color will 

 bring top prices. The general quality of hay varies because of the 

 influence of such factors as methods used and weather conditions. 



Men in the hay trade claim that there has been a change in the 

 methods of making hay in the eastern part of the timothy and clover 

 section. This would seem to be borne out to some extent by the com- 

 paratively recent changes in trade rules or grades. A few years ago 

 practically all sets of rules for grading hay contained a grade known 

 as " choice " timothy. When this grade was in effect considerable 

 " choice " timothy was marketed, but the quantity has gradually 

 diminished and this grade has been eliminated by most trade organi- 

 zations. The claim is made that there is such a small quantity of 

 " choice " timothy that it is no longer necessary to retain this grade. 



Country shippers in New York State say that when hay was cured 

 in the cock there was plenty of " choice " hay, but since the side- 

 delivery rake and the hay loader have come into extensive use 

 " choice " hay has gradually disappeared. In fact, some shippers 

 claim that they can detect hay handled with these implements as far 

 as they can see it. In other words, they believe that the new method 

 of curing does not produce so good a quality as the old method of 

 curing in the cock. Complaint has also been made concerning the 

 lowering of the quality of hay in other States where these implements 

 are in general use. The trouble results not from the implements 

 themselves, but from the way in which the side rake and loader are 

 used. When hay was cured in the cock and was not cocked soon 

 enough, it resulted in the same quality as is now obtained when the 

 side rake is not used soon enough. If hay is raked as soon as it is 

 well wilted and considerable curing is done in the windrow, a good 

 quality of hay will result. If, however, the hay is permitted to cure 

 entirely in the swath and the loader follows immediately behind the 

 side rake, the chances are that the hay will have lost so much of its 

 natural green color that it will not grade as " choice." This change 

 has been brought about largely by the shortage in farm labor, and 

 hay growers will have to learn how to use the side rake and loader 

 most efficiently before they can expect to make good marketable hay. 



There is a regional difference in the quality of hay brought about 

 almost entirely by weather conditions. In certain parts of the Mid- 

 dle West and West there are sections where good hay is generally 



