MOISTURE CONTENT AND SHRINKAGE OF FORAGE. 29 
July 4 and 33 per cent on July 6. These results show the rate of 
moisture loss in timothy at New London, Ohio, to be very nearly the 
same as that of alfalfa and the mixture of tall oat-grass and orchard 
grass at Arlington Farm, Va. (Table X), where the atmospheric humid- 
ity and the temperatures are very similar to those at New London. 
Determinations of the rate of loss of moisture in amixture of tall oat- 
grass and orchard grass and in alfalfa during the early stages of curing 
were made at Arlington Farm, Va., on June 3 and on October 16, 
1914, respectively. The data secured in this work are given in 
Table X. 
TABLE X.—Raite of loss of moisture in a mixture of tall oat-grass and orchard grass and 
in alfalfa during the early stages of curing at Arlington Farm, Va., in 1914. 
Tall oat-grass and orchard grass. Alfalfa. 
s Pei im Fs Loss i 3 see im 5 Ie 
Time of weighing. Sea. Weight. arash: Time of weighing. ane aL Weight. TOKE. 
June 3: Hr. m. | Pounds, | Per cent. || Oct. 16: Hr. m. | Pounds. | Per cent. 
12°30) ps Mes. = Se 100. 0 0 12.40 p. m...... Cee yi 100.0 0 
12:45 p. M.-.-.-. 15 96.5 oD PAS OS OS sR aae 10 98.0 250 
1 P4335) FONE Sea eee 25 95.0 5.0 100 pemes eee. 20 96.0 4.0 
IL) Ds itleaAoake 40 92.5 7.5 A ios lesae ae 30 94.0 6.0 
20) s ses 50 90.0 10.0 E20 sp HIE ee 40 91.0 9.0 
1S0i pam ee lars 88.5 11.5 JES ORO ee ae 50 89.0 11.0 
11 25] Os ee oe etd 86.0 14.0 140) Fe = ee 86. 0 14.0 
PONT Tit aoa se 1 45 80.5 19.5 ZO We Mies ee 1> 30 81.0 19.0 
24D Wes. aos 2A5 76. 5 23.5 2.40 p. M...-.- Ie Pe CW) 23.0 
ays) TOs lee oe 5 2245 73.0 27.0 3520) Deeks eee 2 40 75.0 25.0 
340)Ds We 225. Sheal'5 70.0 30.0 3405s Ws sae By: bse (PS 27.5 
2. Vs) ptt eae 3 45 66.5 33.5 410 pam: tea-- 3 30 69.5 30. 5 
4,40p.m...... 4G 68. 0 32.0 
The afternoon of June 3 was bright and fairly free from cloudiness, 
with a maximum temperature of 82° F. Under these conditions the 
mixture of tall oat-grass and orchard grass which was scattered on a 
tarpaulin lost 5 per cent of its weight in the first 25 minutes, 11.5 per 
cent in 1 hour, and 33.5 per cent in 3 hours and 45 minutes after 
cutting. The weights were taken as quickly as possible and the 
material scattered each time as soon as the tarpaulin was lowered. 
It will be noted that the loss of moisture was quite rapid, exceeding 
shghtly that of the timothy at New London, Ohio. 
The afternoon of October 16 was partly cloudy, but very warm for 
that season, the maximum temperature for the day being 73° F. 
Alfalfa under these conditions lost 6 per cent of its weight in the first 
30 minutes, 14 per cent in 1 hour, and 32 per cent in 4 hours after 
cutting. On a bright day and with the same temperature as that 
prevailing on June 3 it is probable that the loss of moisture would 
have exceeded that of the mixture of tall oat-grass and orchard grass. 
Determinations of the rate of moisture loss in alfalfa at Chico, Cal., 
have been made during several years, and these results are given in 
Table XI. These data appeared in slightly different form in an earlier 
