The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-06-20
MAKING ALFALFA HAY
Little Study Shows Why Great
Care Should 30 Exercised.
Crop 10 Best Cured II Leaves Are Left
In Wilted ConditIon-Rain Does
Great Injury In DissoIvine
Some OF Protein.

by L r. WALDRON, Superintendent
Dickinson Satisfactory
A little study shows why great care
should be exercised in making alfalfa
hay. Unlike true grasses, the leaves
readily fall from the alfalfa plant as
soon az they are dry. Leaves are the
richest portion of the plant and con-
tain much the higher percentage of
protein. Without the leaves, the al.
falfa plant would be but little more
valuable than ordinary grass hay.
Great care then should be exercised
to save all the leaves possible in max
Ing alfalfa hay.
After the plants are cut, while the
leaves are wilted, but before they are
dry, the leaves draw the moisture
from the stems of the plant. AS soon
- the leaves become dry they cease
drawing moisture from he stem.
Therefore hay is best curbd if the
leaves are left in a wilted condition.
This is brought about by allowing the
hay to cure in absence of sunlight A
large part of the curing should be
done, then, in the window and in the
cock When the hay is allowed to
cure in the swath, even the necessary
handling of the hay to get it onto the
wagon brings about a great loss of
leaves. This loss should be prevented
whenever possible.
With these principles in mind, the
alfalfa hay, If cut in the morning, and
with yield of one to one and half
tons per acre, will be ready to rake
and bunch In the afternoon, If condi.
lions for hay making are good. With
light cutting of alfalfa, the rake may
follow the mower within three or four
hours. The hay should be raked up
while still green, before it has become
dry. A good share of the curing
should take place in the cock. Bunch
ing is best done by hand, as punching
with the rake wastes considerable of
the hay, and the punches, when so
made, are not in as good a condition
to turn water If the crop is light, the
hay may be drawn the same day it is
cut.
Rain does great injury in causing
loss of alfalfa leaves which form so
valuable portion of the hay. Not
only is there an absolute loss of the
leaves, but the rain dissolves out some
Of the protein from the leaves. Al.
falfa hay may be drawn before It Is
entirely dry, as it will do some of its
curing in the stack or now Cock
covers may be made out of muslin
IS, or better, 45 inches square. The
center of the cover may be painted to
turn water. The corners should be
weighted. As q general rule, not
more than two cuttings annually will
be secured from alfalfa in North Da.
kota. The second cutting should be
made at relatively the same time as
the first cutting-in early bloom.
When the hay is intended for horses
the cutting may be made when the
alfalfa Is In full bloom.
Alfalfa should not be cut SO late
that it will be unable to make some
recovery before the end of the grow
Ing season. The growth made by the
alfalfa after the last cutting protects
the plants by catching snow. Grimm
alfalfa will not need this protection as
much as alfalfa commonly sown, but
even with Grimm catching of snow
Is Of value In wetting the ground.