194 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



it has been well scattered about and frequently turned, this will have been effected without 

 some portions of the grass being too much withered and others still too succulent. It still 

 retains its fine light-green color, and the farmer's aim now is to secure it with the greatest 

 possible haste. For this purpose, the hay is gathered together into rows and the rows divided 

 and collected into "haycocks," which maybe done by forking; but if the sky is overcast 

 and threatens rain, the windrows should be drawn up into large cocks by horses, two horses 

 walking, one on each side the row, dragging a rope after them, which passes jound the end 

 of the row ; two men ride upon this rope, and as the horses proceed, the hay rises up between 

 them, forming a heap ; and this, having slid lar enough to accumulate a sufficient quantity, 

 the rope is lifted up, the hinder portion of the mass pulled up on to the top, and another cock 

 commenced. Care should be taken that the cocks are "made up" neatly and well, to keep 

 out the rain, and the horses or hand-rakes must be kept going during the whole time. All 

 the hay must, in due course, be made and cocked after the same manner. Unless the aspect 

 of the sky betokens approaching showers, the smaller kind of haycocks, made by rolling up 

 the windrows with forks into proper-sized heaps, will be best. 



The next morning, or soon as the weather permits, they may be well thrown out in " stad- 

 dles" of a few yards in width, to insure the hay being sufficiently well dried, and it will then 

 be ready for loading. 



Of course the farmer must not be implicitly guided by any given rules for hay making ; in 

 this operation he has to depend upon a very fickle and changeable power namely, the influ- 

 ence of the weather, and he must vary and modify them to suit circumstances. The object 

 to be aimed at can alone be exhibited to his view, and a model method pointed out for him to 

 imitate as closely as he can. The description given of the chemical nature of this process 

 explains to the haymaker what he has to do ; and, perhaps, the following truths will assist 

 him in discovering the most eligible way of doing it : 



1. He must remember that the chief point is to preserve the hay from dew and rain ; water 

 washes away the soluble salts and other matters, and when in the stack will cause fermenta- 

 tion, and that injures the hay by destroying some of its most valuable properties ; therefore, 

 bring it into windrows or make it into footcocks at nightfall, and never open it in the morning 

 until the dew has evaporated. 



2. Bear in mind that if the weather is unfavorable, the less it is disturbed the better, and 

 the longer will it retain its native powers. Hay has been found to preserve a great amount 

 of its nutritive qualities for many days nay, even weeks when mown wet, or when saturated 

 with the rains while lying in the swath ; if, therefore, the weather be unfavorable, it will be 

 better not to tedd the hay at all, nor even turn over the swath. If repeatedly dried and 

 wetted again, it soon becomes valueless; this error of meddling with hay amid frequent 

 showers must, if possible, be avoided ; for it is far better to have it somewhat tainted in the 

 haycock than thus exhausted of its nutriment, and spoilt by repeatedly being spread. 



3. Take care not to allow it to remain long under the hot beams of the sun without being 

 turned ; this will preserve the color and fragrance of the grass, so that without baking it too 

 much, (thus destroying its virtues,) it may be so dry that as little heating or fermentation as 

 possible shall occur in the stack, remembering also that coarse grass does not require so 

 much "making" as fine succulent herbage. 



In leading to the stack, all the force of the farm must be brought into requisition if neces- 

 sary, as much depends upon the speedy and proper securing of the hay. The shape of the 

 rick is not a very important consideration, but an oblong form is perhaps the best small in 

 size if the farmer has been unable properly to make his hay ; but if it be in good order, the 

 larger the better, as less surface in proportion to tlie quantity will thus be exposed to the 

 atmosphere to imbibe moisture or have its goodness washed and dried out. Stacks, both of 

 meadow hay and the artificial grasses, are sometimes ventilated by means of funnels up the 

 interior, either consisting of rough wooden framework, or made by keeping open a hole with 

 a skep or similar appliance, drawing it up and treading the hay round it as the stacking pro- 

 ceeds, for the purpose of preventing the hay from becoming mow-burnt by thus letting off 

 the superabundance of hot vapor. This may be regarded as an advantageous practice, 

 although the hay around the chimney generally becomes mouldy unless the funnels be covered 



