34 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 
may be cut for hay. The same is true of blue-grass, 
Bermuda grass, and Italian rye-grass. There is doubt- 
less a best time to cut each of these, but that depends 
on yield mostly. In the case of grasses that yield a 
second cutting, like the last two mentioned, the earlier 
the first cutting is made the larger the yield of the 
second cutting will be. 
The time of cutting of other grasses is discussed in 
sufficient detail in later chapters. 
CURING HAY 
The best hay is made without rain and with the 
least possible sunshine. If it were practicable to cure 
hay in the shade, the quality would be all the better. 
The curing of hay is a process of drying and of fer- 
mentation. Hot sun tends to stop the fermentations 
which produce hay of good flavor. It is important, 
therefore, to rake the hay into windrows as soon as it 
can safely be done. When the growth is light, as is 
usually the case with such grasses as blue-grass and 
redtop, and frequently with Bermuda grass, it may 
be raked up within two hours after cutting, provid- 
ing, of course, the weather is dry. Heavier growths 
require a longer time, sometimes one or two days, 
and frequently the use of a tedder is necessary to 
dry out a heavy growth of hay evenly, so that the 
upper portion of the swath may not become sun-baked 
and dead while the under portion is still fresh and 
green. 
When any given process can be reduced to definite 
rules, such rules may largely take the place of experi- 
ence; but in haymaking experience is necessary in 
