The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1916-06-22
METHODS OF HAVING
By ]. E. Larson, Field Agronomist,
o. A. C.
Continued from last week.

|
o. A. C.
Continued from last week.
The Canadian Field pea is another
legume which is grown in certain see.
tions of the Valley and Eastern Ore.
gon. The same things will apply tC
this crop as the vetch except that il
should be cut about the time the peas
in the lower pods are at the table
stage. In no case allow the vetch oil
peas in the lower pods to get over
ripe. The leaves lose off readily and
they contain a large percentage OF
the food nutrients of the whole plant
Alfalfa is one of the main crops OF
the irrigated sections of Eastern Ore
gon. Much of this hay must go on
the market; hence, the stage of cut
ing is most important. The general
tendency is to allow the alfalfa to get
too mature before cutting it. The
universal rule of instruction for cut
ting alfalfa is when one-tenth is in
bloom. This represents very nearly
the proper stage. However it is not
always safe to depend on this sign.
Sometimes insect pests attack the
blooms and the blooms do not come
out. Again in some sections, late
spring or early summer frosts may
check the alfalfa crop and it should
be cut but the indications do not
show in the bloom. A safer plan is
to match the basal shoots at the
crown of the plant and cut when they
are from one and one-half inches
long. Do not wait until these be-
come long enough that they are clip
ped off by the mower. If this in
dication of time to cut is watched
for you can readily see that, re-
gardless of the condition of the bloom
the alfalfa will be cut at the proper
stage. Farmers who are growing al
falfa for market are prone to allow
the alfalfa to get to mature in order
to get the greatest tonnage. 1t is true
that in the last stages of growth the
plant takes on dry matter or increas-
ed weight rapidly but in total tonn-
age for the season usually there will
be more alfalfa from the fields that
are cut at the proper stage. At any
rate, the man who has some stock can
use the last crop or aftermath for
pasturage or hay to good advantage
and cut his market hay at better or
earlier stage.
The grasses should be cut at or
just before the blooming stage. Tim
othy is sometimes cut when it has
reached what is called the second
bloom; that is, after the blooms
have dropped. The better stage, es-
pecially for market hay, is to cut
when it is in full bloom; for feeding
purposes, it does not deteriorate
rapidly or materially if left little
longer. The rye grasses and orchard
grass should be cut before they reach
the blooming stage as they become
woody and unpalatable if left long
er. The same is true of the Tall Cat
Grass. Red Top can stand slightly
longer in the field than the rye grass
es but it too loses in palatability il al.
lowed to get to ripe. Cut at fairly
early stage for best class of hay.
While little tonnage may be gained
by allowing grasses to get more ma
lure, an actual loss is sustained in
the fact that they become woody and |
and of lower feeding |
value.
A great deal of grain hay is made
throughout the state, these grains be-
ing wheat, oats rye and cheat. The |
general tendency is to allow these |
grain crops to get to mature before
cutting for hay. 1t is almost i'm
possible to get both grain and hay
What is gained in grain is more than
offset by what is list in the forage of
the plant. These hays should be
cut just between the milk
and soft dough and stiff dough stage,
the nutriment passes rapidly into the
grain as 1t nears ripening. This
means that the stalk and leaves will
lose In feeding value and lose ma
.erially in palatability which counts
Tor much in hay to be fed to stock
With grains more than any other hay
crop is there need for changes in the
practices followed out on the average /
arm.
CURING HAY
The quality of hay depends much
IN the making. The finest green hay
,roduct is often ruined in curing. Il
S good to follow the old adage |,
Make hay while the sun shines" bui
ven this summing process can be
'ycrdone. The curing or converting T.
f the green product into hay is made
ip of three rocesses-drying fer ,
and bleaching The first
wo mentioned, of course, are neces
ary but we cannot make hay without ,
aving some bleaching take place.
he ideal conditions for making hay
yould be without any direct sunshine
that were possible. The product
ommonly known as "brown hay |,
made by the European countries give
violence that fermentation helps the
Iuality of the hay While this brown
lay is not very good for looks, the
took relish it greatly. We can over.
ONE the problem of over-drying and
the hay by curing it in the
yindrow and in the hay cock. In
his way we can keep the natural
green color as far as possible. 1t is
| better market product and food col
n and quality are very closely asso-
lated. The legume hays, such as
yetch, clover, alfalfa, etc, are damag
ID materially If allowed to lie in the
iwath too long. The leaves on these
plants and small stems dry very rap
dly and drop off. AS much as forty