The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-08-01

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fourth in bloom when cut. Fifteen
bales were made from green alfalfa,
which was raked and hauled to the
baler Immediately after being moved.
Six bales were made from alfalfa that
was wilted, having been moved in the
morning and baled in the afternoon
of the same day.
Fourteen bales were made from
alfalfa cut July 14th and put in cocks
July 18TH This alfalfa was in the
sweat when baled, and did not differ
much in moisture content from the
wilted alfalfa. Nineteen bales were
made from well-cured hay in proper
condition to stack. Baling the green
alfalfa was hard work for the men
and teams and was also strain on
the press. The cured hay handled
much easier and baled faster The
average weight for a bale of cured
alfalfa was eighty-one pounds, while
that of the green alfalfa was 164 lbs.
and the wilted, 1877 lbs. The wilted
alfalfa was pressed tighter than the
green alfalfa The men who did the
baling were inexperienced in the
work and were able to make about
twenty three-foot bales in an hour
from the green alfalfa About one
and one-fourth hours were required for
making the same number of bales of
wilted alfalfa.
The capacity of the baler was not
tested in the dry alfalfa, but ten tons
day of ten hours would represent
about the average capacity OF the
press. The bales were stored in an
open shed and placed on edge in single
vertical tiers with space of six to
ten inches between tiers to allow free
circulation of air. The uncured al
falfa was examined at frequent inter
walls. 1t developed considerable heat
within twenty-four hours after baling
and the fermentation lasted for TWEEN
ty-five days. The outsides of the
bales which were exposed to the air
were not at any time very warm, but
the interior was much heated. On
October 18th the bales were weighed
and examined. All of the hay was
found to be we'll dried. The bales
from the green alfalfa were very light
and the wires were so loose that the
bales could scarcely be handled.
There was no good hay in any of
these bales and not much that would
be eaten by stock Much of the hay
was covered by white mould and
some of it seemed to be partially de-
cayed. The hay which was baled
when wilted and that from the cock
was about of the same grade and but
little better in quality than the hay
which was baled green. The heavier
and more closely pressed bales con-
tanned the best hay, but none of it
was saeable and the best of it was
inferior for feeding. The hay which
was baled after being cured was seem
ingly as good a grade of hay as when
baled and just as good as if it had
been stacked. 1t had good color, and
the leaves we're well retained. Tt
would grade No. l. 1t may be con-
Guided from this experiment that it is
not advisable to bale alfalfa except
when it is we'll cured and dry enough
to stack.
The question as to whether it will
pay to bale cured alfalfa from the
field depends upon the amount of hay
that must be put up in given time /
the capacity of the press, the force or
crew that can be kept at work. the
facilities for handling and storing the
baled hay and the market price. If it
is desired to ship the hay or sell it in
/