36 ALFALFA 



digestive and urinary organs, as does the early cut hay 

 used too freely. Hogs and milch cows respond most 

 favorably to the early cut hay. 



Curing is attended with more or less difficulty in 

 regions of much humidity. It is very important that 

 the hay be stacked or stored without being rained on, 

 or even left spread in a heavy dew. Its value as a feed 

 is largely due to the fadl that it is easily digested. 

 The food elements are not securely held, hence they 

 wash out very readily. The damage by rain depends 

 upon the time the hay has lain also, but it is safe to 

 say that a rain of one-half to one inch will damage the 

 hay from twenty-five to fifty per cent. The loss does 

 not all come from washing, but the leaves, which are 

 the most valuable part, after being wet shatter from the 

 stems easily and are lost. No more of the crop should 

 be mowed at once than can be handled in one day, 

 and this should be raked into windrows as soon as 

 wilted. If the crop is very heavy it should be gone 

 over with a tedder three or four hours after cutting, so 

 that the curing will be uniform. 



Alfalfa when subjedled to extreme drouth tends 

 to protedl itself by shedding its leaves, and if not 

 properly handled this occurs in curing. The hay 

 should be put in the windrow before the leaves are 

 brittle, and it may be left in this condition until ready 

 to stack or put in the mow. It may be advisable 

 to cock and let thoroughly cure, especially in sedlions 

 where the climate is more or less damp. The cock 

 should be high and narrow, and should be opened out 

 to dry if necessary. In the Central and Western states, 

 except in very wet seasons, which are not frequent, 

 the alfalfa is cut and raked the same day and put into 



