6 BULLETIN 979, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
them, either on end or flat, as in the tiers first described. As a rule, 
however, that method of loading is best which allows the greatest 
number of bales to be loaded in a regular order, because it is always 
possible to load as many or more bales in regular order as in any 
other way and buyers prefer that the hay be loaded in systematic 
order. 
An exception to the rule just stated should be made for the loading 
of new hay. This hay. when baled from the windrow or early in the 
season, may contain so much moisture that it will heat and mold if 
packed too closely in the cars. When loading new hay. the bales 
should be placed on end and far enough apart to leave a small space 
for the circulation of the air between the bales. It can then be 
shipped a considerable distance without danger of heating and spoil- 
ing. It is usually impossible to load a car to the required minimum 
weight by this method but the premiums which early arrivals of hay 
on the market usually command are generally more than equal to 
the added cost of freight. 
Warehousing. 
The facilities of the shipper constitute a principal factor affecting 
the loading of cars. If the country shipper has a warehouse into 
which he can place the hay as delivered by the producer it is always 
possible for him to grade the hay properly and to load the cars uni- 
formly. This, however, is not always done. The hay as received 
may be of fair uniformity as to grade, and competition for business, 
especially if the demand is poor, may be such that the shipper can not 
incur the expense of warehousing the hay and at the same time meet 
the prices at which hay is being offered by his competitors. 
Xo complete data are available as to the cost of marketing hay 
through a warehouse. Shippers estimate the cost at amounts rang- 
ing from 75 cents to $1.50 per ton. In one instance, however, an 
accurate record was kept of the cost of warehousing hay on rather a 
large scale. In 1910 a company composed of prominent and exper- 
ienced hay dealers was formed at Cleveland, Ohio, to handle hay in 
an up-to-date manner through a modern warehouse. Eailroad facili- 
ties were good and no charges were made for switching hay to or from 
the warehouse. It was the purpose of the company to buy from 
country points where loading facilities were poor and ship on transit 
privileges to the Cleveland warehouse, where the hay was to be un- 
loaded, graded, reloaded, and forwarded to consuming sections. The 
handling facilities were modern and labor costs were not high. It 
was found, however, that the cost of unloading, classifying, grading 
and reloading the hay was $1.09 per ton. The cost of the same opera- 
tions in a warehouse not so efficiently operated would no doubt be 
higher, while at country points where the labor required could be used 
