24 Agriculture of Shropshire. 



day. It is therefore better to be guarded, and especially so 

 in such a treacherous climate as that of this district. The 

 larger cocks especially require to be raked down before leaving- 

 them. If the weather has been scorchivr/, the hay often appears 

 quite dry, whilst there is an excess of sap inside ; this arises 

 from the outside becoming dry quickly and keeping the sap in. 

 The best plan in such a case is to allow it to remain two nights 

 and one day in one of the large cocks. This brings it into a 

 regular sweat, and, upon being opened to the sun and air, the 

 hay quickly gives up its moisture, and is ready for being carried. 

 If the precautions already given have been attended to, the hay 

 may be carried so as to come to a good heat in the stack. This 

 heat is essentially necessary to develop the quality of the hay. 

 When the grass is cut in its prime there is more quality in it, 

 and it is disposed to run to greater heat ; hence the making of 

 hay is a matter requiring considerable degree of judgment, buty 

 at the same time, any farmer is amply repaid for giving proper 

 attention to it. The point to be aimed at is to get the stack to a. 

 sufficient degree of heat, but not an excessive heat. The few 

 hints I have given may guide, but experience alone can make 

 any one successful. I have noticed this at some length, because 

 there is so much ha?/ spoilt by bad management, and very little is 

 as good as it might be ; yet it is a most important agricultural 

 product though so often disregarded ; and a greater difference 

 exists between good hay and that which has been badly man- 

 aged, than between the qualities of any other agricultural pro- 

 duce : one sample is bright, supple, and full of quality, whilst 

 another is worth little more than straw. 



The extent of grass- land in this district may be advanta- 

 geously increased by laying down some of the poorest, steepest^ 

 and most retentive soils. At present they yield scarcely any 

 profit, but if laid down in grass, at any rate the outlay would 

 cease, and under good management they Avould contribute to- 

 the manure of the farm and certainly yield a better return. 

 The conversion into grass-land of some of the inferior tillage- 

 land would be a great boon ; but the tenants generally require 

 help in doing so, because there are many expenses which do not 

 bring any return for three or four years. Such lands should 

 be laid down in grass after a bare fallow. Rape may be sown 

 with it, and this should be drilled early in May, and a good 

 selection of grass seeds sown immediately after. This sacrifice- 

 of the corn crop will be more than compensated by the superior 

 ([uality of the pasturage, but many tenants do not approve 

 ol the sacrifice, and in such a case a wheat crop is taken instead 

 ot the rape. In either case the ground must be well rolled in dry 

 weather before winter to give firmness to the young seeds. 



