304 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



whetlier in swatli, windrow or cock, brings it un- 

 aided to the mow or rick, leaves it there and with- 

 out waiting for it to be unloaded goes afield for an- 

 other load. Thus one man with a pair of horses 

 will bring as much hay to the barn or rick if the 

 haul is short as would four men and four horses 

 with the hay loader. Furthermore these rakes 

 gather the hay with the least possible loss of leaves 

 since it is simply lifted up, pushed together and 

 carried to the unloading place. 



Hay Sleds. — The eastern farmer may not have 

 use for either hay loader or sweep rake, because of 

 the small size of his fields. He can use a simple 

 hay sled to good advantage. These sleds are best 

 made of boards %" thick of some hard wood if in 

 the hard wood country, or they may be of ordinary 

 %" stock boards. A size of 6' wide and 12' long is 

 good. Make exactly as you would a barn door. 

 Hitch a horse to the front end. It is well always to 

 let these sleds rest when not in use with the front 

 end supported on a stake about 24" high. This 

 makes it warp or curve a little and thus it draws 

 easier. 



On these simple and inexpensive sleds an ac- 

 tive man will load an incredible amount of hay in a 

 day, and a small horse can easily draw it to the stack 

 or barn if the distance is not too great. There it is 

 either unloaded by simply pushing it off, or the 

 horse stops while the forks lift the hay. 



Lifting to Stack or Mow. — Getting the hay from 



