Show IN MAKING ALFALFA HAY EXACT METHODS OF HANDLING ARE OF GREAT importance tel FOR 1 ai c the side delivery rake Is an excellent tool to use in making alfalfa ha hay yo out but it should be used before the leaves become dry enough to shatter prepared liy by tho the united states department of agriculture Aerl culture fil la 18 it has its ita drawbacks it Is 14 difficult to lo establish in sonio parts of the country aspeel filly in the eastern states it requires careful methods of han tIlIng it Is no crop for the careless fanner but Is ili n very profitable ono ino for or ilia former inkes akes the trouble to learn liow how to handle it from tile to the feeding ono of the important things to learn la is just how bow to make hay according to specialists of tho the united states department of turo ture alfalfa does docs not curo tit at nil all readily and good quality hay ls lit hard to got get especially Is this true OF oc tile first cutting which comes when heavy ruins tire apt to interfere with Us its proper curing tilt bright green tiny liny so common lit in tile he irrigated Is 19 almost never seen in ili the humid hunold regions duo due to injury from rain time of cutting mot blast farmers are prone to cut their alfalfa too early they are anxious to get moro morel cuttings thereby thinking to get n bigger crop tho the fact Is ilia extra cutting la Is frequently mado made fit at the expense of total tonnage the real test of tile the size of the ho seasons crop Is in total tonnage rather than alian number of cuttings where four cuttings are possible three usually tire aro moro more desti ablo fill and more profitable more liny lay Is actually made for the season and tho the plants are left in better condition for the winter the first growth usually la Is rank sometimes causing the fanner to think it should ila bo cut before it really is ready tho the stage of growth Is ilia indication di dt for rather than tho ilia izo ize of 0 tho the plants tho the general rule nilo Is in to cut alfalfa just as it la in coming into ato bloom and lie he basal shoots are arc making a good start for tho the next crop in the pasteen eastern states cutting earlier tuny may injure find frequently kills tho the plants cutting later inter lowers tho the feeding 11 value of tho the liny hay ri P methods of harvesting 1 methods of making alfalfa liny hay yary vary in different sections of tho the country but the basic principles tire tho the same tho the motto everywhere is ls oscuro cure Curo alfalfa hay quI quickly eLly with its as lettla handling and exposure to tho the weather BH ah possible curing holds tile alio leaves on better less handling knocks feam ui of them air tilts tills la Is important because becallo ho leaves lc five are nr tho blast nutritious part of tile in ili ilia west where there liero Is ili little rain luring hiring ilia season the OK tire started lit in tile ho nionila and the alio liny hay raked into windrows wind rows th the following lay duy the flu liny lay Is in thru tit it cockell cocked or la Is stacked tacked ji ov or lulled baled direct from tile the windrow us its soon us tile liny filly la fit sufficiently cured the raking inking coin coal indices lences Il ns as oun foun f us as tile lio armei pre nn will rd ei but when the stems tire still gret green 11 it la is cocked when the rites tire half dry 11 it may luny bo be tit stacked when nials bools turo tur can no longer bo be twisted out of a wisp asp of the huy hay in the humid sect section long ot of the country tile process of curing tile I 1 liny lay la 14 much more the cutting frequently must bu be delayed several lays days on account of bad weather the operations find methods ineth anro practically tilt the same us its lit in tile dry sections except that more time Is required ila liny y cups calls and stuck stack covers muy may provo prove sary enry stack alfalfa hay ailigh moisture content sometimes makes it desirable to strick stack alfalfa liny lay instead instone of putting it lit in the barn tilts tills Is especially true of tile first cut ting build stacks carefully and in n shape that will expose as little of ilia liny filly to ilia weather ns as possible coyer cover tile tops with marsh grass sudan sti grass millet or sonto other long grass that will make a good thatch anchor a well nindo thatch with rocks on tho the ends of wire on top of it a properly mailo made stack and tile the bay will keep almost ns na well as in tile barn in fact it may keep better on account of tho ilia likelihood of oc now alful fit liny lay heating in the mow inow if tho the hay Is put in the mow it Is well to for bonte extra ventilation ti especially it lla its moisture content Is high this can bo be arranged ranged nr by placing horizontally tit at frequent intervals nindo ninde of lumber these may bo be dimply a framework in triangular or rectangular shapes placed lit ill tho the bay as tile tho mow illow la Is filled Is an operation that must be dono done in a certain space apace of time that Is short ut tit best and that Is always liable to bo be made shorter by bad for tills this reason there la Is no farm oper operation atlon lit in which system and elli cloney count for mom so HO it will pay every fanner to know just when and just how to make tile the most of his alfalfa crop |