30 BULLETIN 873, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Iii experiment 18, page 6, hay that was "unusually dry" lost 3.6 

 per cent by shrinkage, while the hay in experiment 1 1 which was 

 "very dry 1 ' lost 11.2 per cent by shrinkage, or more than three times 

 as much water as the hay that was "unusually dry." These two 

 terms should be practically synonymous, yet the results with two 

 lots of hay varied greatly. 



It has been shown that the general term "hay" is universally used 

 to describe material that varies in degree of curing from that of "hay" 

 that is nothing more than green forage to "hay " that is so dry that it 

 contains but 3 per cent of water. Since it is not to be expected that 

 such general and long-established usage will be changed, it becomes 

 necessary, for com enience, so to qualify the general term as to make 

 terms that specifically and accurately apply to the several different 

 stages through which hay passes before it becomes what in the strict 

 sense would be classed as hay, that is to say, the kind that is recog- 

 nized as hay on the market. 



In compiling the following suggested definitions of different kinds 

 of hay, as determined by stage of curing, the experience and termi- 

 nology of shippers, receivers, and farmers in the several hay-growing 

 sections of the country have been drawn upon. No attempt has been 

 made, of course, to define the various grades and mixtures of market 

 hay. 



The definitions here suggested deal only with the several stages 

 in the process of curing. 



DEFINITIONS OF HAY. 



Market Tiay. — Hay that is thoroughly cured and can be baled 

 immediately and marketed if it is so desired is market hay. (The 

 term "market hay" has been used in this sense in this bulletin.) 

 The trade rules for the better grades of hay require, in part, that the 

 hay shall be properly cured, sound, and of a good or otherwise specified 

 color. In order to meet these requirements hay must go through 

 the sweating or final stage of the curing process. Properly cured, 

 sound hay which has gone through the sweat can contain only the 

 normal percentage of water, except during long periods of extremely 

 wet or dry weather. Even then the water content will not \ ary more 

 than a few per cent either way from normal. The question of shrink- 

 age or loss of water in market hay need not concern the hay producer, 

 since there is just as great a chance of a gain above the normal content 

 as there is of loss in many sections of the United States. 



New hay. — New hay is a term used on the city market to distin- 

 guish the current crop from last year's crop. It is most frequently 

 applied to hay that has been baled from the field and shipped to 

 market. It is not used after the " old " hay crop has been disposed of. 



Old hay. — Old hay is a market term used, after hay has been har- 

 vested, to describe last year's crop. 



