The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-08-08
HAY INDUSTRY
MUST HARVEST
CROP CHEAPLY
Perplexing Economic Situa'
ton Created by Gigantic
Yields

Washington, Aug. S.-CR-Facinl
one Of the most perplexing economic
situations Of the last five years, the
hay industry must harvest the 1926
crop 1t the lowest possible cost, fed.
eral specialists say.
In the first place, the record cror
Of 123,512,000 tons last year left
an unusually large carry-over. The
hay acreage j. over-expanded, par.
ticularly in the case Of timothy and
similar hays. which are in less de.
mand than legumes, and there is 9
continued decline in the number OF
hay-consuming animals. Should an
average yield be obtained this year
on IN acreage equal to that Of 1927
the supply Of hay for 192s-29 will be
in excess Of the average domestic
requirements for the last five years,
government surveys show.
The outstanding regional change
in hay acreage from 1910 to 1927 oc.
cured in the southern states, where
the acreage increased so per cent
Hay acreage in the south Atlantic
states increased from $500, 900 acres
IN 1910 to 100000 in 1927 and in
the south central states from 4,60O,.
600 to 100000 acres. In the noun
tain and Pacific coast states the acre.
age increased from $3.50, 900 acres in
1910 to 11,300,000 acres in 1927
There was little change in other
geographic regions. AS a result Of
the over-expanded acreage in proper.
ton to livestock requirements, eco.
nomists say the purchasing power
Of hay for il years has been below
that Of farm products in general.
No Demand for Hay
Unless regional crop shortages oc.
cur, authorities predict, there will be
no material increase in the demand
for market hay in 1928-29. For that
reason they suggest utmost economy
in harvesting.
In the northern Great Plains anc
tntermountain regions many differ.
ent methods ard practices Of putting
up hay are followed. In Idaho &
crew Of IA men will stack 80 to sc
tons Of alfalfa daily, using slip.
and Z Mormon derrick, while in Col.
erado = seven-man crew stacks only
50 tons with z similar outfit. II
Montana q five.Inan crew stacks 81
to 40 tons with m overshot stacke,
and sweep rakes. A crew Of eight
men in Colorado using q slide
stacker and homemade sweep rake:
will stack about IS tons Of wild ha,
IN I day. In Nebraska . four-mai
crew using m overshot stacker with
. blackboard and frontboard will put
up az tons, and . crew Of six men
using Z slide stacker and sweey
rakes, stacks so tons Of irrigated
timothy and alsike hay per hay.
Essiest Way Cheapest
Harvesting in the eastern states i!
not managed so efficiently and eco
nomically, in many cases, as farther
west. Economists say it often il
overlooked that the easier way i
the cheaper way. It is pointed ou
that use Of the side-delivery rak,
and the hayloader may be expected
to effect . saving Of approximate,
one and one half hours per acre o;
man labor and one-half hour per acr
OF horse work % compared witt
use Of the dump rake and hand load
ing from the windows. With wage
ct 20 cents IN hour. this represent
Z saving Of so cents an acre in maj
labor alone, which. with 80 acre
ef hay, amounts to $10, or more thai
enough TO pay the interest and de
probation On the investment il
faster machinery.