SHRINKAGE IN WEIGHT OF ALFALFA V 
TEST AT NORTH RIDGEVILLE, OHIO 
At North Ridge ville, Ohio, alfalfa plants were dried on screens which 
had previously been weighed. Before any wilting occurred the leaves 
were cut off just below the leaflets, leaving the petioles attached to 
the stems. To equalize conditions for the different lots, the stems 
were placed singly in rotation on the four screens. In the case of 
one lot from which the leaves had been stripped, the stems and leaves 
were allowed to dry together. In the case of the other lot, the stems 
and leaves were dried separately. The weight of these samples 
ranged from 1M to 2V£ ounces. The results of the experiment are 
shown in Table 10. 
Table 10. — Comparative losses in weight of samples of alfalfa in process of curing, 
with leaves attached and with leaves removed, at North Ridgeville, Ohio, in Sep- 
tember, 1924 
Loss 
m weight by evaporation (per 
cent) 
Loss in weight by evaporation (per 
cent) 
Time from 
beginning 
of test 
Leaves 
at- 
tached 
Stems 
and 
leaves 
Leaves 
re- 
moved, ! 
stems ! 
Leaves 
Stems 
Time from 
beginning 
of test 
Leaves 
at- 
tached 
Stems 
and 
leaves 
Leaves 
re- 
moved, 
stems 
Leaves 
Stems 
dried 
sepa- 
and \ 
leaves 
only 
only 
dried 
sepa- 
and 
leaves 
only 
only 
rately 
dried 
together 
rately 
dried 
together 
1 hour 
4.6 
5.8 
3.8 
6.7 
4.9 
87 hours... 
71.7 
74.3 
68.8 
82.7 
67.2 
15 hours... 
23.1 
22.6 
21.7 ; 
29.8 
16.4 
97 hours... 
76.9 
80.1 
73.3 
82.7 
73.8 
18 hours... 
28.9 
34.1 
27.1 ! 
42.3 
27.0 
112 hours.. 
75.7 
76.1 
72.9 
81.6 
71.3 
20 hours... 
30.1 
35.0 
29.6 
44.2 
27.0 
121 hours.. 
77.5 
80.5 
75.8 
83.7 
77.9 
21 hours... 
31.8 
36.0 
30.4 
45.2 
27.9 
135 hours.. 
76.3 
76.1 
76.7 
76.0 
76.2 
24 hours... 
37.0 
40.3 
35.8 
51.0 
31.1 
144 hours.. 
82.1 
85.4 
81.7 
84.6 
86.1 
39 hours... 
46.2 
46.9 
45.8 
59.6 
36.1 
160hours._ 
79.2 
79.6 
77.9 
76.9 
82.0 
44 hours... 
50.3 
55.3 
48.3 ! 
68.3 
44.3 
168 hours.. 
78.6 
80.5 
79.2 
78.8 
82.0 
48 hours... 
56.6 
59.7 
53.8 
72.1 
49.2 
[ 184 hours.. 
[ 192 hours.. 
75.1 
77.4 
75.8 
76.9 
77.9 
63 hours... 
63.0 
65.5 
61.7 ! 
76.9 
55.7 
79.7 
82.3 
78.8 
79.8 
84.4 
68 hours... 
64.2 
66.8 
62.5 
77.9 
57.4 
1 
Here again the loss in moisture was somewhat more rapid where 
the leaves were removed from the stems and the two dried separately. 
However, where the leaves were removed from the stems and the two 
dried together, the loss was somewhat slower than in either of the 
other cases. The first day after being removed the leaves lost 
weight much more rapidly than the stems. The high moisture con- 
tent is probably due to the fact that the alfalfa had not begun to 
bloom and therefore was very succulent at the time the samples were 
taken. The unusual fluctuation in weights is probably attributable 
to the fact that the screens on which the alfalfa was weighed in- 
creased in weight during humid spells. With such a small sample a 
slight increase in weight would be considerable when figured on a 
percentage basis. 
SUMMARY 
There is a rather popular belief that alfalfa cures more rapidly 
when handled so as to keep the leaves in a fresh condition until the 
stems have lost much of their moisture. This belief rests on the 
assumption that so long as the leaves are not dry they continue to 
draw moisture from the stems. 
