Show HARVESTING TIMOTHY CROP AT RIGHT TIME Greatest Feeding Value Secured 1 When in Full Bloom Many Hay Growers Prefer to Wait Until Until Until Un- Un til Hay Can Be Cut and Hauled In Same Day Yield Day Yield Is Larger After Full Bloom i Prepared by the United States Department Department Department Depart Depart- I ment of ot Agriculture Timothy cut Just ns as it is coming coining into full bloom Is much harder to cure than when cut with the die seed In the dough stage or nearly ripe When cut early emly It contains a n larger percentage of moisture than when cut later and I consequently must remain longer In Inthe inthe the swath and windrow and run rum greater great- great ci er risk ot being Injured by rain For th this s reason mun many hay growers prefer to wait walt until the hay huy can be cut and hauled in tin th same day Also if cut after the blooming period It will yield more to the acre by weight than when cut In full bloom but the feeding value decreases quite rapidly l after the plant Is In full bloom It has been found that the yield of ot a n timothy crop coming coniing Into bloom was pounds of dry matter mutter to the acre the yield at nt full bloom was pounds the yield Iel when seed was wasti ti t t. t Ji I t 1 f I Curing Hay In Bunch Hay Bunch Hay Will Cure Out Better When Loosely Bunched Than When In in Swath or Windrow but a Heavy Rain Will Wet It Clear Through formed was pounds the yield when seed was lu fu the dough pounds and when the seed was ripe the he yield was pounds per acre From From this and other experiments it will avill be seen that the dry matter Increases Increases increases In In- creases up to the time the seed Is In Inthe Inthe inthe the dough after which It decreases The protein content when coming Into bloom was 2609 pounds per acre was greatest 2920 pounds when the plant was in full bloom and decreased from the time of full bloom until the seed was ripe when It amounted to 2186 pounds per acre From this It will be seen that the greatest feeding value is secured if It the hay Is cut at nt about the time the plant Is in full bloom The fhe yield per acre acte Is somewhat greater if the hay is cut after full bloom but the gain In feeding value and grade as ns indicated by hy color when cut at full fun bloom more than offsets the value of the gain gainIn In weight per acre when hen cut later |