Vol. LXiri. No- 2840. 
CURING CLOVER HAY 
Two Methods in Indiana. 
- Jc not handle a large amount of clover hay, usually 
cutting not more than six or eight acres. The weather 
frequently introduces an element of uncertainty about 
clover harvest that makes it difficult to say that any 
particular method is best. There are, however, certain 
conditions that must be obtained in order that the prod¬ 
uct may be satisfactory, and the method that obtains 
these conditions with the least risk of damage in the 
process, would seem to be, at least, a safe plan to fol¬ 
low. Of the different methods that I have tried the 
following has perhaps been most satisfactory: 
The harvest rs begun when about one-third of the 
heads have turned brown; the mower is started in the 
morning after the dew is off, say nine o’clock. As soon 
as the clover is wilted, usually not more than two or 
three hours after cutting, it is raked into small windrows 
and allowed to remain a short time, and if there are 
bunches that have not wilted they should 
be loosened up by hand, and when the 
clover seems to be practically all wilted, 
but yet not dry nor sunburned, it is placed 
in small shocks, not more than three 
rakefuls to the shock, and left to stand 
thus two or three days before hauling into 
the barn. When hauled in it is unloaded 
with a hay fork and spread evenly ovei 
the mow, but not trampled nor left in 
bunches. This plan soon gets the hay out 
of danger from rain, as it is not easily 
damaged if left in small shocks, which 
will soon dry out, and the hay will be 
bright, the leaves not crumbling, nor the 
stems hard, and it will not be moldy, as 
has usually been the case with clover hay 
hauled in at once from the windrow. 
There is not much sale for clover hay 
here, as hay buyers are principally livery¬ 
men and feeders who prefer Timothy 
for horses; hence the price is lower than 
that of Timothy, averaging perhaps not 
more than $6 per ton, and farmers who 
know its feeding and fertilizing value 
will not sell at that price. I find it is a fine 
feed for cattle, both young and mature, 
and also, if properly handled and properly 
fed, it is all right for horses, in spite of 
the prejudice against it. A ration that I 
have used during the past Winter for 
cows of the Durham type, weighing about 
1,200 pounds, is as follows: Twelve 
pounds clover hay, six pounds crushed corn and cob, 
mixed with three pounds gluten feed, with free access 
to wheat straw. Yearlings were fed slightly more clover 
hay in proportion to weight, the grain ration being 
about the same. This ration was varied at times by 
using hominy hearts, bran, and crushed corn, but 
the amount of clover fed was practically the same in 
all these cases. 
A team of work mares, now four and five years 
old, weighing about 1,250 pounds, were fed as follows: 
Eight pounds clover, four pounds corn stover and oat 
str aw, six pounds corn, three pounds oats, and three 
pounds gluten feed and bran mixed, about half of each. 
I his was varied towards Spring to six pounds Timothy, 
eight pounds clover, seven pounds corn, five pounds 
oats and one pound bran, and with the beginning of 
hard work only a small amount of clover was fed, the 
I imothy taking its place and the grain ration being in¬ 
creased. These horses, as well as the cattle, came out 
in excellent condition, all having gained in flesh during 
the Winter. 
I he following method of saving the clover crop is 
practiced by a neighbor of mine, who puts up perhaps 
NEW YORK , JULY 2, 1904. 
40 acres or more each year. The clover is cut as stated 
above, and almost immediately raked up and loaded on 
to wagons with a hay loader, taken to the barn and run 
through a silage cutter, and blown into the mow, being 
evenly distributed but not tramped down. This clover 
heats considerably, and a lew inches on top and around 
the side will spoil, but under this the clover, which is 
rather silage than hay, is almost its natural color, and 
has the odor and doubtless the taste of green clover. 
From what I have seen of this method and its results 
I think I should practice it if handling a large amount 
of clover, but with a small bulk the proportion of loss 
from spoilage is too great. I grow some Timothy, fol¬ 
lowing to a certain extent the suggestions of Mr. Clark, 
and expect to follow his plan more closely in the future. 
Indiana. f. j. heacock. 
An Illinois Farmer's Method. 
In this part of the country clover is being more gen¬ 
erally raised than formerly. We cut it when the top 
*1 PERsYEAR 
cut too ripe. There is good sale for clover here. We 
aim to feed most of ours. We feed it to the cattle, 
sheep and colts. With the clover we give no grain 
when fed to the sheep except iuring lambing time, when 
some oats are given with it. The colts get a mixture of 
oats ana corn with their clover. The cattle are fed 
corn and oats ground together,, and allowed to eat 
clover and also oat straw during the day. We do not 
feed clover except in Winter and Spring. My clover 
this year is not very heavy, as it was put in where no 
clover had been grown tor several years, 10 or 15. 1 
have been trying a very small patch (about half an acre) 
of Alfalfa. The chickens and pet Iamb seem to have a 
liking for it, so it has not grown very satisfactorily yet 
I am ready to begin on my clover now. We usually 
plow our corn over twice, then put up clover, plow the 
corn over the last time, then begin on the oats and 
Timothy hay. We have our corn all plowed over twice, 
and as soon as we get our hedges trimmed and the 
neighbors get their corn over the second time we shall 
begin. As we co-operate in the work, we 
wait until it is convenient for all to 
assist. j. c. s. 
Dewey, Ill. 
. 
WM 
SECTION OF MISSOURI MEERSCHAUM. Fig. 216 . 
blossoms have become brown, but not too ripe. We 
use a mowing machine with a live-foot cut. After the 
clover is cut it is allowed to lie in the swath until it 
is wilted on top, then the hay tedder is run over it 
when it is thick and heavy; if thin it will cure enough 
without being tossed up with the tedder. When the 
stem has wilted and the leaves are dry enough to curl 
up the hay loader is fastened to the back of the wagon 
and the work of loading begins. With us several of 
the neighbors go in together and put each man’s hay 
up in turn. In this way the hay does not get too dry, 
since it does not lie long after it is dry enough to put 
up. Two men load and one drives. The loaders stay in 
the field, oiling the loader and getting it ready for the 
next load. The drivers unload their own loads at the 
barn, using a hay fork. One boy drives the derrick 
team and two men mow away the hay. While this 
driver is unloading the other driver is loading in the 
field. Haying in this way never lasts more than a week 
at most. In addition to clover we have Timothy, which 
is cut when about half of the blossom is fallen or a 
little later. There are some who advocate later cutting, 
as more strength is in the hay, but it is woody when 
A WESTERN MAN ON ALFALFA 
I have just read the Hope Farm man’s 
notes on seeding Alfalfa on page 463. 
Elaving raised Alfalfa in Colorado, and 
studied the growth and habits of the 
plant, and also noted the nature of the 
soil on which it thrives best, I believe I 
can give you a few pointers. In the first 
place, I notice that Alfalfa does best 
where irrigated. I do not believe that 
this is entirely owing to the application 
of the water and the thorough soaking 
the ground gets, but it is more due to 
the nature of the soil, for in all arid 
States you will not find the stiff clay 
subsoil of the East, but instead the soil 
is very porous, and gives thorough 
under-drainage, besides letting the tap 
root of the Alfalfa plant go down, no¬ 
body knows how deep. The first year 
your Alfalfa does pretty well, for the tap 
root can work its way down two or three 
feet without difficulty; then the trouble 
begins. Your Springs are wet, your 
subsoil holds the moisture until it be¬ 
comes sour, which condition is fatal to 
the Alfalfa plant. With these few point¬ 
ers you can select a deep soil with good under¬ 
drainage, gravel if you have it, and if the Alfalfa will 
grow at all it will furnish the soil with plenty of 
nitrogen, but I should judge that if your soil is deficient 
in anything necessary for the growth of Alfalfa 
it is potash. In all the arid States where Alfalfa 
thrives so luxuriously the soil is rich in potash. I lived 
in Colorado 30 years, and have grown Alfalfa there, and 
have traveled over all the Western States, and from my 
observation I do not believe you will ever be able to do 
much on soil having a tight subsoil, but with the few 
suggestions I have given you it may enable you to raise 
Alfalfa on some soils even in the East. Alfalfa needs 
a well prepared seed bed. with only a light covering. I 
would sow in April in your locality, so as to get the 
benefit of the April showers to bring seed up. 
Idaho. w. s. STARR. 
R. N.-Y.—We have just been examining the fields of 
Alfalfa around Syracuse, N. Y. In that section the plant 
does well, and farmers are growing it largely. We 
found it everywhere—along the roadside, in city door 
yards—covering stone quarries. We shall discuss the 
methods of seeding later. We were astonished to find 
