Agriculture of SItropshire. 23 



likely to be haymaking: weather, let the grass remain in the 

 swathe unmoved. Should the weather continue wet after the 

 cutting, I should simply turn it over with a rake every other 

 day. If, however, the weather promises fair, then the grass may 

 be spread, and this will be done far more effectually by the use of 

 a tedding or haymaking machine, than can possibly be done with 

 the hand. However careful labourers may be — and at the hay 

 season this can only be said of few, because of the inexperienced 

 hands often pressed into the service — there will be locks or tufts 

 of grass remaining unscattered. I firmly believe many stacks 

 are heated or fired from this cause, but this never arises with a 

 good haymaking machine. If only once well distributed, it 

 never becomes so compact again. Whilst this is being done, the 

 labourer may be engaged about other hay in a more advanced 

 stage, or else in bringing out the grass near the hedges and 

 under the trees into more drying parts of the field. This grass 

 is generally more sappy and less easily dried than other parts, 

 and hence should have every chance of drying and being in- 

 termixed. An attention to these minutiae is more especially 

 necessary, when we calculate upon allowing the stack to heat to 

 a sufficient degree without becoming too hot. 



After the grass has been exposed to the sun for four or five 

 hours it may then be gathered into rows — say four rakes to a 

 row. The following morning these rows may be opened out 

 over half the ground only, and being twice turned with the 

 machine should be gathered, before the dew falls, into rows, and 

 then run into cocks or pooks. The size of these will be regulated 

 by the condition of the hay, and of course increased in proportion 

 as the hay becomes drier. When advanced thus far the hay 

 may be considered safe, except it is an exceedingly wet season, 

 for it should never afterwards be out of control. In carrying 

 forward the process of drying, these cocks should be opened out 

 so as to let the air into the centre. If the weather is doubtful 

 these cocks should simply be lightened up so as to air them, and 

 then left as before ; and in proportion as the weather is more 

 promising, in the same degree may they be laid open, but under 

 no circumstances should the hay become spread over the ground 

 again. It does not need the sun now, it is the passage of air 

 through the heaps which will make the best hay. Having been 

 treated in this manner, probably at the end of the third day it 

 will be ready for carrying to the stack; but if of strong growth 

 it will not, and must again be collected into cocks, but now they 

 should be three times as large as before. I never think it a loss 

 of labour to have the haycocks, both large and small, made so as 

 to throw off the rain. The showers come often unexpectedly at 

 this season, and many a wet morning follows a fine and hopeful 



