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80 BULLETIN 873, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUR a3 
In experiment 18, page 6, hay that was “unusually dry” lost 3.6. 
per cent by shrinkage, while the hay in experiment 11 which was 
“very dry” lost 11.2 per cent-by shrinkage, or more than three times 
as much water as the hay that was ‘‘unusually dry.’’ These two 
_ terms should be practically synonymous, yet the results with two ~ 
lots of hay varied greatly. 
It has been shown that the general term ‘‘hay”’ is universally used 
to describe material that varies in degree of curing from that of “hay” — 
that is nothing more than green forage to ‘‘hay”’ that is so dry thatit 
contains but 3 per cent of water. Since it is not to be expected that 
such general and long-established usage will be changed, it becomes 
necessary, for convenience, so to qualify the general term as to make — 
terms that specifically and accurately apply to the several different — 
stages through which hay passes before it becomes what in the strict 
sense would be classed as hay, that is to say, the kind that is recog- 
nized as hay on the market. 
In compiling the following suggested definitions of different kinds — 
of hay, as determined by stage of curing, the experience and termi- 
nology of shippers, receivers, and farmers in the several hay-growing 
sections of the country have been drawn upon. No attempt has been 
made, of course, to define the various grades and mixtures of market 
y hay. - 
The definitions here suggested deal only with the several stages 
_ in the process of curing. 
DEFINITIONS OF HAY. 
Market hay.—Hay that is thoroughly cured and can be baled 
immediately and marketed if it is so desired is market hay. (The 
term ‘‘market hay’’ has been used in this sense in this bulletin.) 
The trade rules for the better grades of hay require, in part, that the 
hay shall be properly cured, sownd, and of a good or otherwise specified 
color. In order to meet these requirements hay must go through 
the sweating or final stage of the curing process. Properly cured, — 
sound hay which has gone through the sweat can contain only the 
normal percentage of water, except durimg long periods of extremely — 
wet or dry weather. Even then the water content will not vary more 
than a few per cent either way from normal. The question of shrink- 
age or loss of water in market hay need not concern the hay producer, 
since there is just as great a chance of a gam above the normal content 
as there is of loss in many sections of the United States. 
New hay.—New hay is a term used on the city market to distin- 
suish the current crop from last year’s crop. It is most frequently 
applied to hay that has been baled from the field and shipped to 
market. Itis not used after the ‘‘old’’ hay crop has been disposed of. 
Old hay.—Old hay is a market term used, after hay has been har- 
vested, to describe last year’s crop. 
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