HAYING TOOLS. 808 
rake to hurry with when showers are coming and 
much hay needs to go at once into cock, or for 
gleaning the field after the hay has been taken off. 
The side delivery is not a good rake for gleaning. 
The Hay Loader.—Concerning the usefulness of 
the hay loader in the alfalfa field there may easily 
be two or more opinions. It saves labor, sometimes. 
It may crumble and waste the leaves. It may cause 
the hay to be left in such shape that it is ready to 
take every drop of sudden springing showers. This 
is ind@ed the worst difficulty with the hay loader. 
It cannot take hay up unless left in the swath or 
windrow. It is not practicable to leave hay in the 
swath for it loses its leaves if exposed too long to 
the hot sun. Windrow loaders do not sacrifice so 
many leaves, but the hay is ready to be wet by every 
passing shower. On the other hand if one wishes 
to use ignorant and unskilled labor to put hay on 
wagons he may find the hay loaders an economical 
way to get it there. 
There are various types of hay loaders. For al- 
falfa hay the best have endless aprons or strap car- 
riers to take up the hay. The ones that push it up 
by aid of spiked wooden strips are not very effi- 
cient and knock off many leaves. 
Sweep Rakes.—A better thing in nearly every way 
is the wide sweep rake for gathering the alfalfa to- 
gether and conveying it for short distances to the 
barn or stack. These sweep rakes are operated 
each by one man. He goes afield, gathers his load 
