2 BULLETIN B73, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Those who have been accustomed to regard all kinds of field-cured 

 hay as marketable hay at the time it is stored and the loss of water 

 as a real loss will be interested in the following report on some experi- 

 ments conducted at the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station in 

 1904: 



Occasional reports have appeared in the agricultural press of "the Middle States 

 advocating the baling of clover hay while in a wilted or partially cured condition, 

 cl aimin g that the method was an economical practice, and that it made a better grade 

 of hay than could be made in the ordinary way. These reports have led to consider- 

 able discussion among western farmers and in the farm papers as to whether alfalfa 

 could be profitably handled in the same way. In order to determine at what stage 

 of curing alfalfa may safely be baled, and whether this method of handling the crop 

 is a practical one, the Farm Department conducted the following experiment last 

 season : 



The baling was done July 16 with a 14 by 18 * * * [two-horse] hay press * * * . 

 This press has a capacity of 1 ton or more of prairie hay per hour. The alfalfa used was 

 the second cutting of medium growth, from an old field, and was about one-fourth in 

 bloom when cut. Fifteen bales were made from green alfalfa, which was raked and 

 hauled to the baler immediately after being mowed. Six bales were made from alfalfa 

 that was wilted, having been mowed in the morning and baled in the afternoon of 

 the same day. Fourteen bales were made from alfalfa that was cut July 14 and put 

 in cocks July 15. This alfalfa was in the "sweat" when baled, and did not differ 

 much in moisture content from the wilted alfalfa. Nineteen bales were made from 

 well-cured hay in proper condition to stack. 



Table XY1. — Giving data on baled alfalfa. 



Stage of curing when baled. 



Average 

 weight 



of bales 



at 

 baling. 



Average 



dry 

 weight 

 of bales 

 Oct. 12. 



Loss Of 

 weight. 





Pounds. 

 164 

 167 

 171 



Pounds. 

 57 

 92 

 96 



Per cent. 

 65.2 



Wilted 



44.9 





43.9 



Well cured 



81 7fi 



6.2 











Baling green alfalfa was hard work for the men and teams, and was also a strain 

 on the press. The cured hay handled much easier and baled faster. It will be 

 observed from Table XVI that the average weight per bale of the cured alfalfa, when 

 baled, was 81 pounds, while that of green alfalfa was 1C4 pounds, and the wilted 

 1C7 pounds. The wilted alfalfa was pressed' tighter than the green alfalfa. The 

 men who did the baling were inexperienced in the work and were able to make 

 about twenty 3-foot bales in an hour from the green alfalfa. About one and one- 

 fourth hours were required for making the same number of bales of the wilted 

 alfalfa. The capacity of the baler was not tested in the dry alfalfa, but 10 tons 

 per day of 10 hours would represent about the average capacity of the press. 



The bales of alfalfa were stored in an open shed and placed on edge in single vertical 

 tiers, a space of 6 to 10 inches being left between the tiers to allow a free circulation 

 of air. The uncured alfalfa was examined at frequent intervals, and notes made 

 on its condition of curing. It had developed considerable heat within 24 hours after 

 baling, and the fermentation lasted about 25 days. The outsides of the bales which 

 were exposed to the air were not at any time very warm, but the interior was very 

 much heated. On October 12 the alfalfa bales were weighed and examined. All of 



