PROTECTION OF HAYSTACKS FROM WEATHER AND FIRE

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 74, Issue 1, 15 January 1947, Page 35

PROTECTION OF HAYSTACKS FROM WEATHER AND FIRE

By

C. R. TAYLOR,

Fields Instructor, Rotorua.

NEW ZEALAND’S harvest of hay each year is never so large that any avoidable loss can be afforded. Unfortunately, however, thousands of tons are lost each season through reasons which are well within the capacity of the average farmer to prevent. That these losses occur year after year suggests that all too many farmers, do not appreciate fully the factors leading to preventable waste.

TT might be supposed that any reason-, ably dry spot in a field would prove a suitable site for a stack, and in most instances little loss results from stack-siting as practised today. But in some circumstances heavy losses can be sustained if careful attention is not given to the choice. A few years ago a torrential rainfall in February caused a low-lying North Island district to become flooded for more than a week through the stopbanking to drains and other waterways breaking down under the tremendous volume of water they were carrying. Stacks located unduly close to those waterways were more seriously damaged than those built further away, though few escaped without some injury. During the prolonged drought period last summer a considerable loss of hay was caused by stacks being set alight by passing locomotives. Had farmers visualised such a possibility they would undoubtedly have located their stacks further from the railway, but

because they failed to do so many hundreds of tons of precious hay were destroyed.

In selecting a site for a haystack every contingency must be allowed .for if the farmer is to have a reasonable guarantee against loss of valuable material.

Badly-based Stacks

Because of the absorbent nature of well-saved hay, it is wasteful to build a stack with the material in contact, or practically in contact, with the soil. Many a farmer merely puts down a layer of bracken fern or manuka as a foundation on which he starts building a stack. Such a base is probably quite satisfactory for a time, but it is soon compressed under the great weight above. Being absorbent, it quickly leads soil moisture into the stack in much the same way as a sheet of blotting paper absorbs ink. The result is rotten hay in the bottom of the stack and some inferior-quality material higher up.

To prevent waste from this cause, construct a base of logs or old timber of substantial dimensions, covered with litter such as hedge trimmings, manuka, or scrub. Not only is the hay kept well clear of the ground, but an ample current of air can circulate under the stack, allowing earlier handling of the mown material than would otherwise be advisable and appreciably reducing the risk of spontaneous combustion later.

Faults in Building

Considerable waste from weather and fire is caused by faulty building—more often the result more of undue haste than of lack of knowledge, as harvesting time is usually one of bustle in an effort to head off possible bad weather. All too often grabful after grabful of hay is piled on with but little attempt to spread each evenly over part of the stack surface. That results in uneven settling of the stack and difficulty in preventing rain from entering to spoil much of the contents. A good stack-builder will spread his material evenly, keeping the heart of the stack solid and the sides and ends somewhat springy. Even with otherwise well-built stacks, which have been properly proportioned in accordance with the amount of material available and well topped off, not infrequently the sides and roof are insufficiently raked to prevent the entrance of water. Some farmers appear to regard this essential feature of stack building as something to do with the presentation of a pleasing finish and nothing more. But if they can imagine how a bird or animal would fare in the rain if the feathers

or hair did not point downward so as to shed as much water as possible, they will understand why the countless straws sticking out horizontally or upward from an unraked or poorly-raked stack will lead gallons of rain water in the hay.

Steep Roof More Efficient

Failure to prevent water from seeping into the centres of stacks because of improper covering causes heavy losses of hay. The coverage required depends largely on the type of roof given to the stack during its construction, but all types need at least some form of cover if rain is to be shed efficiently.

For a well-raked, steeply-pitched roof on an oblong or round stack, a few split manure bags sown together and securely held in place along the .ridge-line, or placed over the peak of a round stack, will give all the protection necessary. But for a slightlysloping roof a waterproof sheet or corrugated iron cover is essential, and both are relatively costly, even when freely available.

To reduce costs and maintain

efficiency it is obvious that a highpitched roof, well raked, is a more economic type of construction than the easily-built, “thrown-together” stack with a semi-flat roof which is

common in many districts.

Whatever form of cover is employed, however, care should be taken to ensure that it is not blown away by the first boisterous wind. Various methods are used, but probably the best for fastening any type of cover is to attach weights by No. 8 wire. The wires should not be so long that the weights touch the ground when the stack has finally settled down. Unless the stack is roofed with corrugated iron, the wires should not be taken over the ridge-line and weighted at each end, as is common practice, for in time they cut their way into the stack and facilitate the entrance of rain.

Precautions Against Fire

The firing of stacks is another prolific cause of loss of hay each year, especially during unkindly harvesting weather, but it can be guarded against to some extent.

Large stacks are fired by spontaneous combustion much more easily than small ones, large “blocky” stacks are more readily fired than large long ones, and round stacks appear least liable to this trouble. Therefore, build narrow oblong stacks where substantial quantities of material are being handled, and preferably round ones where smaller amounts are being saved. Oblong stacks should generally be twice as long as they are wide; if built too narrow, they may topple over before they have settled down.

The type of stack construction undoubtedly has an important bearing on. the 'problem. of spontaneous combustion, but it is only a contributing factor. Properly-saved hay will rarely if. ever fire, no matter how it is stacked, but if it is wet . with rain or overcharged with its own sap when brought in to be stacked, the danger from firing is increased or lessened by the size and shape of the stack. ’

The primary cause of firing is badly-conditioned material, and though hay cannot be regarded as a difficult crop to grow, it is certainly , difficult to secure without damage. To avoid the possibility of firing and the development of moulds, hay should not be stacked while it is in any degree wet with rain or containing too much sap. If small stacks or long narrow ones are built, the danger is still further reduced. However, should trouble be suspected after the stack has

been completed, the safest plan is to turn the hay and rebuild it alongside, though an alternative . that is often effective is to cut a piece out of the centre of the stack and remove it. i When opening an oblong stack for feeding out always cut from the leeward end. That should present no difficulty if in the first place the stack was sited end on to the bad weather quarter. Much hay loses feed value after being opened up because rain drifts into cut surfaces under pressure from high winds, especially when several. days are taken to complete a cut. Round stacks are usually fed out by removing the top and working down layer by layer. A less wasteful way is to remove sufficient of the top to form a foothold and then cut down in the usual manner, unless, of course, the stacks are very small and can be disposed of quickly.