210 THE HARVEST. 



by hand is easy but slow, 

 and thrifty farmers now 

 generally use the horse- 

 rake whenever they can. 

 With the horse-rake, one 

 man and horse can do 



as much work as ten men can in the same time without 

 it. Hay cut in the forenoon should be raked before night, 

 that it may not be exposed to the dews. 



735. The time required for curing hay depends partly 

 on its ripeness when cut, and much on the state of the 

 weather. In good weather, if machinery is used, it may 

 be cut in the morning after the dew has risen, and dried 

 so as to be put into light cocks early in the afternoon, or 

 before the dews of evening. A slight opening to the sun 

 for an hour or two the next day should dry it enough, 

 if it was cut while in blossom or before. Hay should be 

 got in during the heat of the day. 



736. Grass cured rapidly and with the least exposure, 

 is more nutritious than that cured more slowly and longer 

 exposed to the sun. If dried too much, it contains more 

 useless woody fibre and less nutriment. The more 

 succulent and juicy the hay, the more it is relished by 

 cattle. 



737. After the grass has been cut at the proper time, 

 the true art of haymaking consists in curing it just 

 enough to make it fit for storing away, and ,110 more. 

 The loss of the nutritive substances, which make the hay 

 most valuable, is then stopped at the earliest moment. 

 It is as great a mistake to dry grass too much, as to let it 

 stand too long before cutting. 



738. If the hay has not been perfectly dried, and there 

 is danger that it may heat in the mow, it is well to have 



