8 
BULLETIN 1424, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICTJLTUBE 
Similar results were obtained in a second test with 100-gram 
samples at Bard, Calif., in December, 1924. (Table 8.) Contrary 
to other tests, the stems in this case seemed at first to lose moisture 
more rapidly than the leaves. In other respects the results corre- 
spond closely with those previously reported, in that the alfalfa with 
leaves attached lost moisture less rapidly than with leaves removed. 
Table 8. — Comparative losses in weight of 100-gram samples of alfalfa in process 
of curing, with leaves attached and with leaves removed, at Bard, Calif., in De- 
cember, 1924 
[Each result is the average of two samples] 
Time from be- 
Loss in weight by evaporation 
(per cent) 
1 Time from be- 
1 ginning of test 
Loss in weight by evaporation 
(per cent) 
ginning of test 
Leaves 
at- 
tached 
Leaves 
re- 
moved 
Leaves 
only 
Stems 
only 
Leaves 
at- 
tached 
Leaves 
re- 
moved 
Leaves Stems 
only only 
14^ hours 
16H hours. 
18H hours 
20}^ hours 
'22H hours . 
38 hours 
18.5 
21.3 
25.5 
27.0 
29.0 
40.5 
47.0 
52.3 
19.5 
22.3 
26.8 
29.3 
31.3 
44.3 
48.8 
55.0 
16.4 
19.5 
24.8 
27.5 
29.5 
43.8 
20.8 
23.8 
26.8 
29.3 
31.5 
42.9 
71 hours 
54.0 
57.0 
60.0 
62.0 
62.5 
65.5 
66.0 
66.0 
59.0 
63.5 
65.5 
66.0 
66.8 
67.8 
67.8 
67.0 
61.5 
67.3 
69.0 
69.5 
69.9 
69.9. 
54.2 
86 hours 
57.1 
95 hours 
59.5 
110 hours 
119 hours 
134 hours... 
143 hours 
1 158 hours 
60.1 
61.3 
63.7 
47 hours 
48.7 ' 47.0 
56.6 i 51.2 
69.5 \ 64.3 
62 hours 
69. 63. 1 
TEST AT ROSS.LYN, VA., NEAR WASHINGTON, D. C. 
Early in November, 1924, 3-ounce samples of alfalfa were collected 
at Arlington Experiment Farm, Eosslyn, Va., and dried in the office 
at Washington, D. C. As the crop had been cut two weeks pre- 
viously the alfalfa was only 8 inches high and far from mature when 
the samples were taken. This accounts for the high percentage of 
moisture in these samples as compared with most of the samples 
previously described. The results are shown in Table 9. 
Table 9. — Comparative losses in weight of S-ounce samples of alfalfa in process 
of curing, with leaves attached and with leaves removed, at Washington, D. C, in 
October, 1925 
Loss in weight by 
evaporation (per 
cent) 
Time from beginning of test 
Loss in weight by 
evaporation (per 
cent) 
Time from beginning of test 
Leaves 
attached 
(average 
of 3 
samples) 
Leaves 
removed 
(average 
of 4 
samples) 
Leaves 
attached 
(average 
of 3 
samples) 
Leaves 
removed 
(average 
of 4 
samples) 
Yi hour 
3.48 
11.80 
39.60 
54.85 
69.43 
4.70 
12.50 
45.30 
60.90 
74.50 
67^ hours 
73.6 
79.88 
83.30 
83.30 
78.15 
1V<2. hours 
115^ hours 
82.50 
19H hours 
163 Yi hours... 
83.60 
25^ hours 
1873^ hours 
83.30 
43H hours 
Here, as at other points where a similar experiment was carried 
out, there was very little difference in loss of moisture whether the 
plants dried with the leaves attached or removed. The plants with 
the leaves removed lost moisture a trifle more rapidly than where 
thev were left to cure in the natural state. 
