HAY

By the word hay we mean the dried stems and leaves of herbaceous plants, the gra es (Gramineae), clover and allied plants (Leguminosae), which are used as fodder for domestic animals, during periods when green food is not available. The methods of preparing hay vary considerably in details in different localities, but in principle they are the same. The herbage is. first mown and then spread out, turned, and shaken in the fields to dry under the action of wind and sun. The more quickly this drying proce is finished the finer is the aroma of the hay, and the more palatable is it to animals. It is next gathered into windrows and _ finally stored in hayricks. The time of drying varies from two to ten days, but under unfavorable weather conditions the hay is frequently damaged or spoiled. Insufficient drying may case subsequent mouldine (due to fungoid growth) or heating (due to bacterial action) in the rick, but this is sometimes held to improve the product. In England it is usual to cut permanent meadows for hay; while in Scotland a special hay crop is more generally grown. The chief hay plants are clover and the gra es—the most important being rye-gra , timothy, foxtail, cocksfoot, sweet vernal, the oat gra es, and several species of fescue.