HARVESTING 83 



when the dew is well ofif. If the weather is fair, the ted- 

 der ought to follow about two hours behind the mower. 

 It is a mistake to think that the sun is the great curing 

 agent. Too long exposure to the sun makes the curing 

 all the more unsatisfactory, besides drying the leaves in 

 such a way that they crumble and drop off. 

 • As long as alfalfa remains ''alive'* water will be exhaled 

 from the surface of the leaves and be pumped constantly 

 from the stalks in a natural way much as though they 

 were still standing. On the other hand, if newly cut 

 alfalfa is spread too long in hot sunshine, the leaves are 

 scorched to such an extent that transpiration of moisture 

 from pores becomes impossible. Hence, that in the stalks 

 can only escape by simple evaporation, which is very 

 slow. By this means much undesirable, in fact harmful, 

 moisture in the hay is brought to the barn or stack, 

 although the leaves of the hay are dry and crisp. 



As J. E. Wing has well said in his bulletin (Bui. No. 

 129 prepared for the Pennsylvania department of agri- 

 culture), ^'there is a principle to be observed in making 

 alfalfa hay that applies to making hay from all clovers. 

 If it can be so managed that the leaves are not at once 

 burned and dried to powder, the moisture from the stems 

 is the more easily removed. Leaves are natural evapo- 

 rators of sap; stems are not. Therefore, while the leaf 

 has yet pliancy and some semblance of its natural condi- 

 tion, it is most efficiently carrying away the sap of the 

 stem, but when it is dried up it no longer aids in drying 

 the plant at all. Therefore, the best hay in all respects is 

 made partly in the shade, in loosely turned windrows, or 

 in narrow cocks." 



