264 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



It is a common theory, that hay which is moist can be 

 preserved from injury by sprinkling a little salt upon it when 

 being stored. I fail to find sufficient reason for indorsing 

 the practice ; but I do recommend the use of a small <]uantity 

 of dry-slacked lime, say about two quarts to a ton of hay. 

 The lime absorbs the moisture, and preserves the bright green 

 color of the hay which it has when it comes from the field. 

 Hay should be " trodden down " well when being put away : 

 this forces the gases and dampness to the top, and prevents 

 it from becoming musty. Rake down the sides of each bay 

 as soon as filled ; for, by so doing, the different lots will not 

 bind upon each other. My barn is ventilated from the cupola. 



Over the driveway into the barn I have built a slat floor- 

 ing, upon which damp hay, or a load that has been gathered 

 to escape a shower, is spread, and the air allowed to circulate 

 underneath and upward through it, thereby curing it in the 

 barn. This flooring is used later in the season for storage of 

 corn-fodder, which is too often heated and moulded by being 

 heaped in the barn. During the past season I have added 

 to my barn an extension of twenty -two by forty feet, for the 

 accommodation of the increase of my hay-crop. It will at 

 once be surmised that this is a favorite crop with me, and 

 so it is. My farm now yields sixty tons from twenty-three 

 acres, while the product of the land devoted to hay when I 

 took the place was only about five tons from eight acres. 

 Now all but three acres of my farm is under cultivation of 

 some sort, and the three acres that I now devote to pasturing 

 are taken from my mowing-field. 



My method has been as follows : after I had taken the 

 trees and bushes off, I have ploughed as well as possible with 

 four yoke of oxen, taking as large and strong a plough as I 

 could get, and for that business there are none too strong. 

 On one piece of six acres it cost me nearly forty dollars for 

 repairs on ploughs and chains. 



While ploughing, I have two men to follow the plough, 

 turn sods, and take out stones. I then harrow, take off what 

 roots, stones, and the like I can, and then plough crosswise 

 with two yoke of oxen, a man following the plough to take 

 out stone. Next go over the ground with a wheelharrow; 

 and, if time permits, I plough again with a pair of horses, 

 or one yoke of oxen, after which, clear away more of the 



