La Junta tribune., 1915-06-05
Care OF Alfalfa.

We do not wish TO be understood
as advocating the growing OF hay for
the purpose Of baling and shipping.
as ve believe IL is more profitable to
feed the bulk OF the hay on the farm.
but a. there II usually a surplus Of n
carload or two. and as quite frequent
/ ly conditions are such that the only
way TO dispose OF the hay is TO ship
1t. perhaps a few words on the
subject OF curing hay may be In or
der. The differene. in price be-
tween choice hay and standard or
No. 2. Is enough TO more than pay
for little extra car. in stacking.
the farm. the value OF good hay over
poor hay IL even greater. Feeding
spoiled hay. especially to horses. 10
not a good policy.
To make good hay the alfalfa
should be cut when II first begins to
bloom. About this time the new
| shoots OF the second crop are maxi
Ing their appearance, and II these
grow high enough 10 be mown OFF.
the growth OF the next cutting will
be retarded. Hay should be stacked
before 1, IL so dry that the leaves fall
off and We, not so green that there is
danger OF the stack burning. For this
reason the practice OF curing hay in
the shock is recommended. This gives
the hay plenty OF tim. 10 cure thor
oughly and at tn. same time II can
b. handled without much danger of
sh.,t.rlns. Although this Is the
ideal way a lack OF time and help
prevents Il from being prac,io.d gen
orally Ia this section. Curing In the
shock also prevents a lars. amount
OF damage In case OF rain.
Whatever method Of curing il
prac,ic.d. however. too much hay
should no, b. cut down at once. !,
may e.; too dry and shA,,er whsn
handled. and In cas-. Of a shower the
loss in damaged hay IL ,hs, much
greater.
After the hay IL Ia the stack. there
l. also danger Of spoiled hay from
driving rains, ". b.li.S. that sheds
would soon pay for themselves Ia
, hay that would o,h.F~is. spoil. bot
as this ia no; generally prae,ieca An.
other method 10 sometimes used.
when cutting, icaN. a small ta,ch
near the plAc. where the stack is 60
b. located. After tn. stack Is CON.
pi.,.d. no~ this green stuff and pu,
u on the top. A. ,hi, dries. 1, pili
: bccom. extremely compact aud sili
+ prove OF eonsid.rabi. assi,,ano. Ia
. shedding water.
The following may be useful ta
some Of our dry farmers. Who are g..
deatorins 20 sa,n . tnAsirausa
amount Of feed. With . minimum o,
moisture.
NV ~sss '"b-bWVboH ol notsf tf
alfalfa can b. controlled 10 q consis.
efabie extent By pssiurase or s,..
!. aueai eiipSins without serious injur,
20 the plants. With limited
amount Of stored moisture In the
J. ground often the greatest smosn, O,
}. alfalfa caa BE- obtained By siios ,ss
4 The crop 70 ssow ~hen the vasss ~.
= asirement is the lowest. In the fail
, and spsias. and By keeping the isss
. surface 81 Q minimum durins ,hs
. sumner through siIpsias or ps.,ss.
: ses. TIE esfieseaey Of thus coas.,,.
. ise The moisture dsrins the ss,,oa,
Of drought. has been Observed mar,
Z Nmes.
'. whenever the moisture ssSs,y ss,,s
!. sAest Of the amesss necessary 10 p,o.
, 6scs sesmsi ereps thfessAous ,hs
. seases. simmer ssssias aDDsass "a
. smers . simple ssd practical ness,
, q essaiains . fessfn sfon The atssi.
. 70 csanesssrsis With the sss,ist,s
= 0eaeeusV. aA1 q she ssue slne -,
!. lsses tAs danger q lsssshs laiv,,
el Weee ~ ns1sasss sueely \ ~.
, eeeee ~ seas1nSs1s ~ oeo1sesIss