SOME POINTS IN HAYMAKING. 141 



good hay is due to the presence of a volatile organic 

 principle known as coumarine (CgHgOj), and this is 

 dissolved out by the alcohol in the presence of warm 

 rain water. The green colouring matter (chlorophyll) 

 is also separated by alcohol, and becomes yellow by 

 oxidation when the swathe lies too long. Thus both 

 the valuable food elements, the fragrance, and the 

 colour of the hay are lost by weathering. 



It is pretty much a matter of opinion as to whether 

 a little heating (" sweating ") improves the quality of 

 hay or not. Circumstances differ; horses and cattle 

 generally relish it better if the process has been 

 properly done, while in some markets — notably in 

 London — the hay which has the appearance and odour 

 of tobacco finds the readiest sale. Overheating, how- 

 ever, win produce the same effect as weathering, while 

 it is deleterious to the animals that eat the stuff. 

 When a field of grass is cut the plants are, in a sense, 

 immediately killed ; but though a stalk of grass, as a 

 whole, ceases to live, yet the individual cells of which 

 it is formed stUl retain their vitality so long as the 

 moistiire and temperature are suitable. When the 

 plant's connection with the root is severed, a process 

 called by Mr. Fry "intercellular oxidation," or, in 

 other words, " haying fermentation," takes place. This 

 oxidation is the cause of heating in stacks, and if not 

 overdone is a desirable state of matters. Its action is 

 to change starch into sugar, and this actually takes 

 place in the stems of the grasses. To this change 

 is due the fragrance of hay when half dried, and the 

 avidity with which cattle eat it at this stage. 



When the stufif is completely dried, however, the 

 cells are killed by dessication, and the action ceases. 



