The Delta independent., 1915-06-18
The joys Of the Haylnq Season.

'hc SOJs VI N1e F1aJln9 season.
From time TO time some one comes
forth with a touching ballad or poem
or song. singing. praising and trying
to make a poetic and a idylic conclu-
sion over new mown hay" When
a fellow comes right down to 1t and
has welded a pitchfork in a blazing
sun, struggled with some ornery
bronchos attached to a moving ma
chine. hay rake, or a go-devil, trying
TO cut some lodged. tangled and rank
growth OF tough alfalfa with a duh
sickle. made SO by trying to cut
few concealed stones and other trash,
as are too often found in many hay
fields there is little poetry left. Then
we cannot forget the aching bones the
following morning when at 5 a. m
comes the call for "All hands out. -
Gee! have been there. and SO have
many others. and know how death
seemed sweet to the thought of get
ting up'and facing another day.
So II is with those whose muscles
have not become hardened to work.
Even the seasoned ranchman. tough
as he may be. is more than thankful
when the haying is over and the worry
of rain. break downs and the shortage
OF help is a thing OF the past. There
is no poetry in this haying business
nothing but good hard workout 1t
pays in every way. for 1t is our good
old alfalfa fields that have done so
much toward building the empire OF
the west. Alfalfa is the one standby
of the homesteader and the ranchman
of many years experience with the
west and western ways. So l feel
there is nothing too good TO be said
for alfalfa. You can bet your last
cart wheel we are all strong for al
falfa.
So as watch the boys in the hay
field day by day as l drive along on
the pike. l want them to know that
l realize that they are earning their
salt. and wish Just as hard as they
do that the rain would let up and
give them half chance to get back
the time and work they have spent
for money must be invested to paying
off the hay hands. with expenses for
machinery and countless other things
before a load of hay is delivered and
the coin is in the pocket of the pro-
ducer. For short hauls nothing can
beat sweep rake, better known as
a bull rake. One can scoop in load
in fifty. drive mp to the stacker and
leave a wad Of hay that will keep the
stacker humping to clear away before
the next load comes in.
However. on long haul. or where
the ground Is full of prairie dog holes
or very rough, bull rake makes little
headway against slip and sling, n
heavy loader. or the old standby. the
useful hayrack. and plenty of elbow
grease to WELD few pitchforks. II
a man has horses that were never
hitched to n bull rake before he will
find It quite a Job to get down to
hauling without turning any fancy cir
cles or getting the horses tangled up
and having one going north while the
other is headed for the south. Putting
n pair Of horses with a green driver to
one OF these haying contraptions is
circus In itself, for they are the most
awkward things to handle until fei.
low and the horses get onto the hang
OF It that ever was invented.
I ought to know for II was my luck
to get rs worthless team Of bronchos
as ever ate their heads off on the Elk
head ranch near Hayden in Routt
county several summers ago. I never
was any horseman or expert driver.