22 Description of a temporary Rick to secure Corn 



much bruised in thrashing, and it was to be feared a great 

 part of them would not vegetate. I had an opportunity of 

 knowing the quantity, having the tithe of them, and prov- 

 ing the injury by the loss of my crop in sowing them, in 

 so much that the land has been since ploughed. 



Although I have not tried it, yet I think it is not to be 

 doubted, but that this mode may be applied with equal ad- 

 vantage to clover hay, and clover seed, before it may be 

 dry enough to put into a large rick, by being placed in this 

 situation to dry without being so frequently turned as to 

 deprive the hay of its finest parts, and subject the seed to 

 great waste. In cases also when meadow hay mav be dry 

 enough to put in large cocks on the appearance of rain, 

 how much injury do they receive by the bottom being ren- 

 dered so wet as to occasion a dampness some way up, and 

 require much time to throw abroad to dry ? Whereas, in 

 the same state of drvness, how many of such cocks may be 

 put on four hurdles ? and the bottom instead of being wet 

 and injured will be perfectly dry, having air circulating 

 under it, and from the two middle hurdles quite to the lop ; 

 if a sheaf of reed was to be drawn up through it, as 'the 

 hay got higher, a bundle of straw on top would secure it 

 from rain, or instead of a reed-sheaf drawn up, a couple of 

 small fatigots of wood, nr three or four poles bound toge- 

 ther and placed horizontally about the middle of the rick, 

 to admit air at each end, and render it dry enough to be 

 carried on to a rick without furihur trouble or risk. 



Hay is known to receive injury, not only from rain, but 

 even from fervent sunshine, when nearly dry, if not fre- 

 quently turned, as may be observed by the ch^inge of colour 

 and loss of smell, which many farmers in this neighbour- 

 hood experienced in the summer of 1809, for want of hands 

 to turn it sufficiently. I have seen a decoction of such hay 

 made in a tea-pot, and compared with a decoction of the 

 like quantity of jjood hay in another; the former was very 

 deficient both in colour and taste to the latter, and the qua- 

 lity of it, of course, much deteriorated. 



We know that straw, particularly of barley or oats, will 

 be much injured by being long on the ground exposed to 

 soaking dews, and perhaps alfernate rain and sunshine, and 

 may ii not, when protected from ihcm by this mode, be far 

 superior for caitle to what wc are at present aware of? Be- 

 sides the advantages of grain, hay, and straw, being thus 

 better preserved, and less expense of labour than by repeat- 

 edly turning in rainy seasons, there is another advantage of 

 no small consequence, that the crops may be removed, 



and 



