A new machine is being introduced which makes (from the windrow if desired) a cylindrical bale, with a hollow space lengthwise through its middle. This open space must undoubtedly facilitate the curing of hay baled before sufficiently dry. The machine has a capacity of four to six tons per hour, makes a bale thirty-six inches long and twenty inches or less in diameter, as desired, bound with twine, and the hay can be eaten from the bale, with a minimum of waste, without unfastening. This baler, if it justifies the claims of its inventors, should be very useful to those who grow alfalfa for marketing away from the farm. GRADING AND GRADES OF ALFALFA HAY On account of the increasing demands for alfalfa hay, and growth in the business of selling it in cities, dealers have found that the establishment of some uniform and generally accepted method of grading the different qualities was a business necessity. As a result of this its consideration was taken up by the National Hay Association’s committee on grades and upon the committee’s recommendation the association in 1905 adopted the following classification: Choice Alfalfa--Shall be reasonably fine, leafy alfalfa, of bright green color, properly cured, sound, sweet and well baled. No. 1 Alfalfa--Shall be coarse alfalfa of bright, green color, or reasonably fine, leafy, of good color, and may contain five per cent of foreign grasses; must be well baled, sound and sweet. No. 2 Alfalfa--Shall include alfalfa somewhat bleached, but of fair color, reasonably leafy, not more than one-eighth foreign grasses, sound and well baled. No. 3 Alfalfa--Shall include bleached alfalfa, or alfalfa mixed with not to exceed one-fourth foreign grasses, but when mixed must be of fair color, sound and well baled. No Grade Alfalfa--Shall include all alfalfa not good enough for other grades, caked, musty, grassy, or threshed. [Illustration: Lattice Rack for Feeding Alfalfa to Cattle] [Illustration: Box Rack for Feeding Alfalfa to Sheep] [Illustration: Lattice Rack for Feeding Alfalfa to Sheep] [Illustration: Box Rack for Feeding Alfalfa to Cattle] _CHAPTER IX._ Pasturing and Soiling PASTURING NOT ALWAYS ECONOMY