ARTIFICIAL DRYING OF HAY PROVES SUCCESS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12857, 19 December 1912, Page 2

ARTIFICIAL DRYING OF HAY PROVES SUCCESS.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURiE SAYS THAT IT WOULD SAVE MILLIONS TO THE FARMERS.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16. That it is commercially profitable to dry hay by artificial means, thus eliminating the large waste due to damage by rain in the fields after cutting, is the belief of officials of the Department of Agriculture. . For two or three years experts of the office of farm management have been conducting experiments in Southeastern Missouri with alfalfa hay, putting it through a kiln-drying (process. Far p. time doubt has existed ios to whether Lay could be dred in this manner on a commercially profitable basis. While the work of- experimentationhas not been concluded, officials are • satisfied that kiln-dried hay would save ,tho farmers of the country an enor-" mous amount of money annually. ' j The department has not formally announced -the exact location of the go- j vernment's plant. It is in the alfalfa belt of Southeast Missouri and was under water for a /considerable period during the recent flood. Since that time, however, it has 'been put into commission once more.

Hay artificially dried, is subjected to great heat for a short time and comes through the process retaining a rich green colour. The juice is forced out and the larger part of it preserved.