Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-26
CURING HAY PROPERLY.
1t Should Be Cut Green Rather
Than Overripe. Says Expert.

Hay of any kind to cure for the most
palagable and nutritious feed should be
cut rather green than overripe. Some
have a notion that it is better to let
hay stand and grow till it is fully ma
ture and riRe. 1t is fact that hay
allowed to fully mature viii be slight
iy more bulky and perhaps dry out
and cure easier, yet it will not have
the high feeding value as when cut
earlier and cured properly. Many fail
to realize the difference between hay
and other forage to be stored for fu-
ture feeding that has green color and
pleasant aroma, and that which has no
green color and no aroma. Very ripe
ana dry hay is not paiatable TO ami
mails, and it is'not easily digested. It
contains a relatively large amount of
indigestible fiber Green hay, of
course, is more difficult to cure than
ripe hay. yet the extra work is well
worth While.
The amount of time any hay should
lie in the field before being raked and
hauled in for storage will depend upon
the amount TO the acre. the length of
the days of sunshine. the absence of
clouds, the dryness Of the air and the
dryness of the soil upon which 1T lies
after being cut. If the soil and air are
both dry and hot heavy crop of hay
viii cure in a very short time with q
moderate amount of sun. If both air
and soil are moist, the same crop will
require a much longer time for curing,
even under a hot sun.
Where the air and soil are reasona-
bly, dry, hay of any kind should be al
lowed tn lie in the sun only a few hours
before being raked into windrows. In
most cases two or three hours are suf-
ficient. 4 light crop should be raked
up an hour or two after cutting 1t is
a mistake to allow hay to lie in the sun
so lcng that it becomes perfectly dry
an6 hleacfed Sunshine aids in the de-
Velopment of green matter in plants
when they are alive, yet it quickly de-
stroys this green when the plants are
dead.
1t should be the aim in curing hay to
retain as much of the green and ten
derness as possible. Curing hay right
does not imply drying it out complete
L.. fut allowing only enough of the
surplus moisture to escape from the
plants SO they viii not heat, mold or
rot in bulk in storage. The more mois-
ture that can be safely retained. the
more aromatic. appetiZing and digesti-
BILE the hay will become as a feed. Some
good farmers who are experts in the
making of choice hay follow the NOW
er closely with the rake. and the rake
closely With wagons for hauling and
storage. Their hay is put into the NOV
green, 50 green and full of moisture
that it heats and "sweats" excessive
~, yet without further disturbance il
cures out perfectly and comes out of
the NOV some weeks or months later
with a beautiful bright color. aromatic
end very nutritious for the animals
which consume it. This manner of cur
ing hay is fermentation process rath-
er than sun driving. and it is to be
highly recommended to those who can
work it with success.
A good and safe way To cure
hay so that it will retain it's
green color and possess good
aroma and tenderness is to allow it to
dry in the sun for about two hours,
then rake into large, light windows
and allow it to cure there for four or
five hours. After curing in windows it
is then piled into small stacks, or
cocks, in the field. and IN this form al
lowed to stand for day or more. Tim
othy and other similar long hay can
be built into cocks that will readily
shed water. while alfalfa, and the 9TH
er legumes in lunches in the field will
need to be covered with hay caps made
&c canvas. The first cost of hay caps for
q large acreage of hay is relatively
large at first, yet they will soon more
than ray for themselves through the