498 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



the windrows into large bunches or cocks. Thence 

 the rakes take it to power hay presses or balers and 

 it is compressed lightly into bales at the rate of 20 

 to 30 tons per day. It is found best not to make the 

 bales very large or heavy. It is then loosely piled 

 to let the air circulate through the bales as much as 

 possible and sent to market. The human hand has 

 not moved the hay until it is thrown into the hay 

 press. It is estimated that when things work well 

 alfalfa is taken from the green state to the finished 

 bale for under $1 per ton. Naturally, bad weather 

 interferes with this system of haymaking, and 

 often the quality of hay thus secured is inferior, a 

 large proportion of the leaves having been left in 

 the field. The plan may be the best one for the pres- 

 ent time on large plantations with insufficient labor, 

 and for a market not very critical. Baling hay from 

 the windrow would- hardly succeed under northern 

 skies, as the heat of the sun is so much less and the 

 latent moisture is so much harder to dry out. 



Johnson Grass and Alfalfa. — ^In this region one 

 sees a great deal of that rank strong-growing peren- 

 nial grass called Johnson grass. It is usually mas- 

 ter of all other crops and has taken possession of 

 many a plantation. Alfalfa grows well with it and 

 gains on it. Grown together neither yields alto- 

 gether, but alfalfa has rather the better of the con- 

 test. Alfalfa and Johnson grass hay mixed make 

 admirable forage. 



Selma Chalk as a Source of Limestone. — The soft, 

 easily decomposed limestone called Selma chalk, 



