i86 Cti the Alaiwgewent of Hay. Apvii 



watering rnd fa'ting repeated, till the vhole quantity h 

 gone through ; it Ihould then be well turned ami mixed 

 with a fork, and allowed to remain in a heap tor one 

 night ; after whieh, it will be lit for afe. 



It is neceflary to obferve, that the quantity of water 

 applied ihould never exeeed Mhat is necenitry to damp 

 the hay \ and the proportion of fait faould be confined to 

 what will give it an agreeable flavour': a fuperabundance 

 of either, in plaee of being ufeful, defeats the purpofe 

 for which they are applied. If there is too much water. 

 It runs off", carrying the fait along with it ; if too much 

 fait, it renders the hay bitter. The fait made ufe of 

 ihould be of the fmalleil kind, for the purpofe of fprink- 

 ling it equally ; and every poflible means lliould be takea 

 to prevent one part of the hay from getting more than 

 another. 



It is worthy of notice, that though the falting of hay a 

 day or two before it is ufed, is in general attended v/ith 

 advantages, we beg leave to be underftood as meaning 

 only the coarfefl kinds,, or fuch as may hate been injured 

 by the ^^cather ; for, in every inftance where it has been 

 Cut at the proper feafon, and well managed afterwards^ 

 the tafle and flavour will be fucli as to recommend it 

 to the animals, without any addition whatever ; but, in 

 unfavourable years, when the quality is much impaired 

 by the weather, efpecially if the hay is coarfe, and treat- 

 ed in the manner commonly pra6tifed in the hilly and 

 upland parts of the country, the operation of watering, 

 with the addition of fait, will, by foftening and giving, 

 it an agreeable tafte, induce the animals tt) eat it with 

 advantage, in many inftances when it would otherwife 

 be rejeclSed. It is perhaps in fuch cafes only, that fait 

 can be ufeful, unlefs it be meant as a medicine ; and it is 

 very apparent, that the hint of ufmg fait at all, originat- 

 ed in the preference given to fait marfhes over other paf- 

 tures, by both flieep and cattle. 



In treating of an article of fuch value and importance 

 as hay, it is worth while to inquire, what are the moft 

 advantageous and economical modes of ufing it. 



Every good farmer is now fenfible, that when any con- 

 fiderable quantity either of hay or other fodder is given 

 to horfes, fheep, or cattle, at once, the effe6l of their 

 breath blowing upon it, joined to other caufes, renders 

 it fo difagreeable, that they foon loathe and refufe to eat 



iti 



