The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-07-25
AGRICULTURAL.
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
Heating of Alfalfa Hay In MugCy
July or August Weather.

SPONT TANEOUS COMBUS lON
Heating of Alfalfa Hay In Muggy
July or August Weather.
All cases OF spontaneous combustion
OF alfalfa hay that have come TO the
notice of the Kansas station have oe-
rurred with the first cutting. Early
spring growth OF alfalfa in an ordinary
season is rank. The alfalfa Is cut
either in May or early in June. and at
this time OF the year the weather Is
such that il is difficult to thoroughly
cure the alfalfa without getting 1t wet
Usually there is considerable damp
weather and little wind after the first
cutting is put in the NOW or stack.
and this hinders further drying. With
later cuttings the growth Is not so rank
and succulent. and the weather is drier.
and there is often wind. This makes |
| curing easy.
i At this station we have not had al |
falfa heat sufficiently TO take fire, but
we have had IL become So hot that as
a matter OF safety we took Ii out OF
the barn several weeks after putting II
in the NOW and stacked II outdoors.
We have had So much trouble with the
first crop heating that for the past four
years we have stacked II outdoors and
put the other cuttings I'm the barn. We
have cured the first cutting as care
fully as we knew how. keeping Ii sew
eral days In cocks. putting covers on
the cocks at night and opening the
cocks during the daytime. and with all
these recautions. IL there came week
or more OF wet. muggy weather In July
or August. the alfalfa hay would be-
come hot. Ii the weather stayed dry.
no heating took place.
Alfnlfa should be cut when not more
than one-tenth Of the plants have come
in bloom. Cut at this early stage. the
Yield Of hay for the season will be
much greater than IL the alfalfa Is cut
near maturity. and every pound Of hay
secured will be worth more for feed
The method OF curing VIII vary with
the condition of the crop. groand and
weather. When alfalfa has made
slow growth and ut the time Of cut
ting the ground aud the weather are
dry. there is no difficulty in curing.
Often under these conditions IL Is safe
to rake within a few hours after NOW
4 ing aud stack n few hours after the al
falfn has been put In the windrows-
When alfalfa has made n rapid growth
and is rank and succulent and the
weather and ground are damp, the
problem of curing is a difficult one. 1t
Is easy to dry the leaves. but the stems
will contain much moisture after the
leaves are too dry. Alfalfa hay should
become SO dry before stacking that
when a handful - stems are tightly
u twisted together no water can be
squeezed out. The most practical way
to accomplish this and at the same
time save the leaves is the plan to
adopt. and this will vary with differ
ent seasons and places
y There is practically no difficulty IL
curing any but the first. crop. Wher
the conditions for curing the first croI
are unfavorable. we have usually
found the most practicable method Il
\ be to cut the alfalfa in the morning
after the dew is or. allow it to barely
| wilt I'm the swath. then rake and be
@ fore night put in narrow. tall cocks
After the dew is of the next morning
and the surface OF the ground has be
come dry we open these cocks careful
ly, so as not to shatter Off the leaves
If the weather is favorable, the ha!
may be stacked in the afternoon: /
not. we recock carefully and repea
the treatment until the hay is proper
Il ly cured.
II From all the experience We hav
RI gained to date we advise that the bes
way to prevent spontaneous combus
ton OF alfalfa is to thoroughly cur
before stacking.-H. N. Cottrell.