Arizona republican., 1917-04-08
Alultu---Hs Use and History
BY c. /. HARRISON CT Phoenix


great mistake most ranchers make is
cutting their alfalfa too late. The
trade is fast realizing that soft leafy
fine Stoned hay is the cheapest at any /
price in preference to oVer-ripe, woody I
stems and leafless hay.
Perhaps YOU have observed that a
leaf covered branch can be broken from |
a tree about the time the foliage is all |
out but the leaves will cling to the !
branches indefinitely A branch brok- |
en- off about the time the years growth |
has been reached and the leaves viii |
fall as fast as they dry. The same is
true of alfalfa. Cut the various crops |
while there is still life and energy in |
the stalk.
Now why not have all your hay fine !
stem, leafy green. The earlier you |
make your first cutting the earlier you
will make your second cutting; and if
you will follow this rule with each and
every cutting your alfalfa will make
one or two more cuttings each gear.
Your tonnage will be greater Pc acre
from seven cuttings, cut early in 1.-The
life of the plant, than from four cut
tings cut from ten days to two weeks
later. The additional cost to you is
only the expense of the work incidental
to making three extra cuttings, while
your tonnage is greater and your net
returns, by reason of having alfalfa
that will sell at highest market prices
will be much greater You can readily
see that four cuttings of alfalfa, show
ing less tonnage, and which sells at a
lower average price on the market, is
a wrong business proposition for the
alfalfa grower, as against seven cut
tings of fine STEM leafy, green alfalfa,
that will top the market.
Hay is selling now at abnormal pric
es, so is other farm products local
conditions are such that this years
crop will also sell high. AS a rule no
one is better equipped to deal on basis
of cash market instead OF selling for
future delivery than the average ranch
er. Perhaps some who sold early last
year can appreciate this remark more
than those who are ceiling last years
crop now at record prices. Through
foresight and conditions which made it
so. / have over 100 tons of No. alfalfa
baled that would have sold six months
ago for half what | am now getting
! Preparedness is the first insight to
profitable marketing.
The failure of a portion of the hay
trade to adhere closely to established
grades in distributing the valuable hay
crop from surplus districts to import
ing territories is not the only adverse
, condition from which producers are
suffering today. There is in addition,
a serious lack of uniformity in grading.
The very principle upon which COM
merce in all farm commodities is
S based-integrity also absent in toe
e many cases in the commercial hay
e trade-a trade which involves a CROP
= which has been ranking third amone
g leading corps in value
! True only IS per cent of the hay croy
of the United States leave the counlie;
where II is grown, but the share thai
IS marketed in the raw form merits
5 and demands the elimination of tn,
5 sitting conditions Which are now al
! together too common among both buy
Z ers and sellers. The present state O.
4 the trade IS such that the expanding
: surplus in various producing district.
i Is not finding broader markets so rap.
s idly as would be possible under NOR,
8 dependable business policies.
Being limited for space with a sub
a Ject too large for comprehensive treat
S ment even in cnapters-I will simpl,
e add that the leading markets hav
), adopted the following grades, whicl
e are indeed a requisite to successful
: selling:
= Choice Alfalfa-Shall be REASONABLE
r fine leafy alfalfa of bright green color
g properly cured, sound, sweet and wei
S baled.
h No. One Alfalfa-Shall be reason
S ably coarse alfalfa, of a bright gree
l. color, or reasonably fine ieafy alfalf
: of good color or may contain pc
e cent of foreign grasses, 5 per cent O
:. air bleached hay on outside of bale al
It lowed, but must be sound and we
: baled.
is Standard Alfalfa-May be of gree
IL color or, of coarse or medium textur,
ron .,t,,
ID matter; or it may be of green color, @
;e coarse or medium texture. 20 per cen
T. bleached and per cent foreign matter
x or 1t may be of greensh cast, of fin
IS stem and clinging foliage, and ma
II contain per cent foreign matter, all t
ID be sound, sweet and well baled.
: Number Two Alfalfa-Shan be an
sound, sweet and well baled alfalf;
g not good enough for standard. and ma
IS contain 10 per cent foreign matter.
IS Number Three Alfalfa-May contai
Id % per cent stack spotted hay but mus
5 be dry and not contain more than
al per cent of foreign matter; or it ma
be of a green color and may contain )
IS per cent of foreign matter; or it ma
l. be set alfalfa and may contain 5 DC
he cent foreign matter, all to be reason
in ably well baled.
lg No Grade Alfaifa-Shall include a
, alfalfa not good enough for No. 8.
lie As producer buyer and seller {
lg Arizona alfalfa, l believe with SON
OF regard to the old saying make ha
I while the sun shines that 80 per Ger
Of of the valleys hay crop should grao
at choice. The bulk of the lower grade
= VIII be found through The natural dc
st. terioration of all stacked hay Wit
tn the exception of a few small alfalt
L producing states the per cent of choit
ne alfalfa is not to exceed 10 Der cent
of the years crop, especially is this trl
ne IN the four states that furnish abol
rs 80 per cent of the alfalfa that is cor
Id suIned east of the Rocky Mountains
ne