Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-22
feet cattle. and they do we'll on any
kind If alfalfa

feet cattle. and they do well on any
kind Of alfalfa.
As has been stated previously in
these articles. much. hay may be lost
on the second crop ny delaying cut
ting, because the weather does not
seem favorable. and it is also true
that nAch may be lost by leaving the
alfalfa on the field too long after it
is cut. In fact. we have found that
it is preferable to stack the alfalfa
while 1t is a little damp, thar to urn
it over repeatedly in the field until it
is dry. That is. the heating which
will take place in the stack leaves the
alfalfa in a more alatable condition
than it. would be II dried by repeated
turning in the field. A rain on alfalfa
Immediately after it is cut does very
little damage, inc it should be raked
just as soon Is it has thoroughly
dried off and Wilted. -
If the rain comes after 1t is in the
windrow. just as soon as the top of
the windrow has dried off, it should
be turned over. This is because air
also because the ground under the
windrows will be wet and the hay
will soon begin to mould. If the side
! delivery rake has been used these
windrows may. be turned with this
machine, Ly driving alongside of
their. so that the rake will just turf,
the windrow. '
falfa for five years in Southeastern
Kansas where the rainfall was So
inches. and where we cut from four
ITO five crops a year, we never had but
a small area of hay entirely damaged
in all this experience. This was on a
field that was entirely Overlooked
during a flood, and the windrows
were filed with mud. This part Of
the crop was hauled off the field af-
ter, the ground became dry, and is
the only part of any hay crop that
was entirely lost.
Wet or green alfalfa, when stack
ed. will often get very not and ap-
parently burn very badly, Undoubt-
ed1v a part Of the feeding value is
lost in this heating process, but it IS
also true that the digestibility of
so that there nay not. be as much
loss as might be supposed. y
Stack Wet or Green Hay in the Field.
There have been cases Of what ap-
peared to be spontaneous combustion
or, alfalfa stacks takingfre when
! stacked too green. This, however, is
SO ~infrequent that little or no con-
s%ideration need be given it. The pre-
caution, however. should be taken
not to put damp or green alfalfa in a.
barn. because there have been cases
of spontaneous combustion resulting
from the heating of the hay. These
cases are also very ~infrequent. 1t
has been stated that if the p%recaution
is taken to cover the entire barn with
tho alfalfa. as 1t is put in, keeping it
leveled of. there is very little likeli-
hood OF. spontaneous combustion.
But if the hay is piled in m end or
in sections. so that there are open
ines through which air may enter,
there is more danger.
There is little question but that the
first, crop of alfalfa had better be
stacked outside. and the second put
in the barns. The first crop may be
hauled from the stack and put in
later. If desired. At the !. II. c. Farm.
at Grand Forks the second crop was
baled from the field. That Is. it was
raked and put into good sized cocks
until # was cured. and then hauled
direct to the bakr with sweep rakes.
This is a practice that is common in
the irrigated districts, because of the
fact that they have very dry weather
during the hay season.
The Alfalfa Seed Crop will be dis
cussed in the next article.