Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


 An acre of Crotalaria intermedia was cut on September 21,
1933, when in bloom. Pods had formed on only a few plants.
The plants had become woody near the ground but the upper
parts were succulent. Most of the leaves were still clinging to
the plants, although a part of the lower leaves had fallen. The
stems were from 1/2 to /4 inch in diameter, when cut at a height
of about 10 inches above the ground. The plants measured 6.0
to 7.5 feet in height. The habit of growth of this species is shown
in Fig. 13.
 NATURALLY DRY HAY
 Drying in Shock.-As soon as the plants were cut they were
bound into small bundles, 8 to 10 inches in diameter. The bundles
were tied, using stems as bands. They were then shocked, using
6 bundles arranged as illustrated in Figure 14. Two bundles were
spread and used as caps on a portion of the shocks. The remain-
ing shocks were covered with oiled muslin to turn water.
 The cutting was followed by hot, dry weather with little
breeze until October 1, when two showers fell. By Tuesday,
October 3, the hay was dry and was hauled to the barn for use
in the feeding trials. These trials are reported in Part II of this
bulletin.

 Fig. 14.-Crotalaria intermedia cut, bound into bundles and shocked to cure
for hay.