MOISTURE CONTENT AND SHRINKAGE OF FORAGE. 31 
VARIATION IN THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF GROWING ALFALFA 
DURING A SINGLE DAY. 
In order to determine whether a different percentage of moisture 
is to be expected in forage plants cut at different times of the day, 
five samples of alfalfa were cut at 8 o’clock in the forenoon and six 
samples at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The alfalfa was in a fairly 
vigorous condition and about one-tenth in bloom. The day was 
warm and sunny. A detailed statement of the results with each 
sample is given in Table XII. 
Taste XII.— Moisture content of growing alfalfa at 8 a. m. and at 3 p. m., at Chico, 
Cal., in 1914. 
Weight. Moisture. 
ee G Air dr O Original Air-dry | Lost in ai 
Treen, ir Y> ven rigina -ary OSt 1n alr 
June 13. June 30. July 27. | dry. material. material. drying. 
Cut at 8a. m.: Ounces. | Ounces. | Ounces. | Ounces. Per cent. Per cent. Pef cenit. 
INOS 5495 fo oases 123.2 33. 70 31.95 8.5 | 76.9 10.7 74.1 
INOS 550 ee ee ee 123.2 35.95 33.70 29.0 | 76.5 13.8 C745 7i 
INGY SSA coe 123.2 35.70 32. 45 29.5 | 76.1 9.1 TBC! 
INOM55 22 ce acon eens 12552; 34.95 35. 20 Sa 450 10.5 71.4 
INQ'boSisc sels aoe was = IDAK- 34. 95 34.95 31.5 | 74.5 9.7 71.6 
MIGRATE Sco SSeSUCOs se Bode ated Bae Geen Ss ES enaean mea saaceas 75.740. 216 | 10.8+0.346 | 72.740. 231 
Cut at 3 p. m.: 
OF OOaP eee es cece 91.2 26.95 26. 95 24.0 | 73.6 10.8 70.4 
INOS55 See ceowc see 91,2 26. 45 25.70 VARS |) TRB IPA Y 71.8 
INOw5b6 sect eee sees 91.2 24.70 23.95 ZAUOUTCeO R2S2 73.7 
INOS 557 sacs en see cee 91.2 26. 20 25.70 222 OWN One 12.3 71.8 
INO} 5nO ee cece 91.2 27.45 27.70 PERT Uta | eS 69.6 
INOS O00 na setae ee 91.2 26. 70 26.95 24.0 | 73.6 10.8 70.4 
Meanie mepeme tir 2 ale ets lead ae. 74.74 .263 | 11.64 .127 | 71.84 .261 
The mean for the two methods of treatment shows 1 per cent more 
moisture in the alfalfa at 8 a. m. than at 3 p.m. While this differ- 
ence is not large, there is a sufficient number of samples so that the 
results are dependable. In actual practice this result has little sig- 
nificance, but it is of interest to find that in the open field under 
favorable moisture conditions transpiration may exceed the absorp- 
tion of water by the roots sufficiently so that the moisture equilibrium 
in the plant tissues is not maintained. 
MOISTURE CONTENT OF BALED HAY. 
In order to give some idea of the amount of moisture in ordinary 
baled hay, samples were taken from oat hay in the bale at Chico, Cal., 
at two dates, the first about one month and the second about two 
months after the hay was baled. Ordinary commercial hay was 
used in this experiment, so the moisture percentage may be con- 
sidered as fairly representative of that in the grain hays on the 
market in California. The moisture content, as determined by two 
sets of samples, is given in Table XIII. 
