34 ALFALFA 



daily, without other feed. The growth was not pam- 

 pered, nor were the conditions more favorable than is 

 common on average Kansas river ' ' bottom ' ' land. 

 There will be a little irregularity in the first cutting — 

 the first of it being a little immature, the last some- 

 what too ripe — but later there need be no difficulty; it 

 can be cut at exadlly the proper stage. It is perhaps 

 best at any time to let the hay slightly wilt before feed- 

 ing, but this is not important. When the hay is used 

 very green, and is of rank growth, especially when wet 

 from showers or heavy dew, there are occasional cases . 

 of bloat among cows eating it, but such cases are so 

 infrequent that they need not be greatly feared. An 

 alfalfa field grown for soiling at the Minnesota Uni- 

 versity Experiment Farm is shown in Fig. 8. 



HARVESTING 



A corredl understanding of the best methods, and 

 experience in applying them, in handling alfalfa hay 

 is important in determining the greatest satisfaction 

 with the crop. Dissatisfadlion, or an improper esti- 

 mate of the value of the hay, comes more from inju- 

 dicious harvesting than any other cause. The art of 

 handling this crop is peculiar in itself, and can only be 

 fully learned by experience. Experience teaches that 

 for the best results it should be cut for hay when the 

 first one-fourth or one-fifth of the blossoms have ap- 

 peared. If a great deal is to be cared for, cutting 

 should begin earlier, so as to be completed before the 

 last is too ripe. 



All classes of animals prefer the early cut, but the 

 late cut is better for work-horses, being less washy, 

 and not so liable to unduly or unfavorably excite the 



