. Alfalfa growing for seed and hay . e, aggregating a total of less than twoinches in experiments conducted by the Colorado ExperimentStation. The protein content of the hay was reduced from percent to only per cent. This shows clearly one of the handicapsto the success of raising alfalfa hay in sections where heavy rainfallis apt to be great during the alfalfa season. Even a slight raindestroys the green color of the hay which is so characteristic ofthe western-grown hay cured without having been wet. In thisrespect the States having a light rainfall have a great advantageover the
. Alfalfa growing for seed and hay . e, aggregating a total of less than twoinches in experiments conducted by the Colorado ExperimentStation. The protein content of the hay was reduced from percent to only per cent. This shows clearly one of the handicapsto the success of raising alfalfa hay in sections where heavy rainfallis apt to be great during the alfalfa season. Even a slight raindestroys the green color of the hay which is so characteristic ofthe western-grown hay cured without having been wet. In thisrespect the States having a light rainfall have a great advantageover the States having an abundance of rain during the summermonths. STACKING ALFALFA HAY. The use of hay forks and stackers in almost all of the alfalfadistricts makes it possible to build very large stacks. The large sizestacks indicated in the illustration have a decided advantage overthe smaller stacks as a smaller percentage of the hay is exposedto the weather, which usually injures the outside of the stack toa depth of several Fig. 8.—Stacking alfalfa in the West. The new crop is stacked onthe top of the preceding crop by the use of large hay forks. (Westgate—Farmers Bui., 339—U. S. Dept. Agriculture.) 30 Alfalfa hay does not shed water readily and if barn protectionor a shed roof cannot be provided it is commonly the practice tocover the stack with canvas or with grass hay or millet to shed thewater. A load of green alfalfa placed upon top of the stack will,on drying, form a fair protection from the rain, since the leaveswill lay folded one over the other somewhat after the fashion ofshingles on a roof. The fact that alfalfa suffers so severely frombeing wet makes it highly important that care be taken to protectthe alfalfa stacks from any rain which may fall before the hay isused. It is also desirable that the stack be built upon some sortof a foundation, especially if water is apt to run under the stack,as otherwise a considerable portion of the base of the stac
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