LUCERNE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 919, 12 September 1910, Page 10

LUCERNE.

. At.'soii'eiof Athe.'MhterTJShows .a while back. inquiries ..-fffjifo lpacW, ;by, farmers .concerning".the' cutting- and the'.general ; e.ropping""6f lucerne. G.'Mi'-M'Keown, nrntiite?4ttr the. "Agri- [ cultural'. .Gazette" of, ff# Wales, says that the best time;to-commence.'.cut-, . ting, fair proportion 1 of . the crop is in flower,, as its_nutr;ent, value is then at its ;Sest,'<and'ffi»fleast loss in: weight jv'ill,ensue if the hay is properly, saved.""'—' • .; ' The length of time allowed for drying .; ,in{the J 'fi6l'd' , Will',' w of depend on • weather oonditionsA' "ttfrsi : " riyhe*n,higli,.tfinj.peratures„pja3Tail in dry .districts;. whcri ; ;the ;crpp -is c.jit:,witli the , mower it' shouli-to.'-.at.onco,:raked into • 'windrows, ■ jind.An,,. ajjowt twenty-four hours 1 drawn- into.;. cocks >by ; ',means, of the hoi'se-rafce.:.ln 'some cases';,-however, it •: will be re.ady,;to'.sta'ck/.ip that 'time. ,It is undesirable to allow lie behind the machines, just .as..;cut,.;.aa, tlie i drying. . is so. rapid as to- cause loss of foliage "in subsequent handling. The aim of the maker should .be to get , the hay into stacks, with'-iis little handling, consistent, with propef curing, as possible. ■' In hot, dry weather, in:districts whero summer dews are infrequent, the reaper and binder cannot ibe surpassed as an i, .implement for'cutting, 1 as'it'is more eco- .' noiiiical in labour 'and l the'liay may bo saved with the'.-minimum ~ lamount of 1 handling. ■ , • .-Lucerne. Trill dry thoroughly m sheaves, in such weather, but care should be '! taken not to stook heavily, the best i method being to stand the sheaves in , rows, not more than two deep. ' By this .means practically no loss of .foliage need 1 occur, if no..loss of time occurs,in stackiiig. , Tlio colour ,of hay so .cured will.be ' nil that, can be desired, and ■it will re-' ' tain its full nutrient value, ■as loss by -'•bleaching: is-prevented* .. -