2.90 Cultivation of Arable Land. Stacking of Grain Crops Mocks of. 



poffefs are thofe of taking fomething lefs in thatch and labour in covering them. 

 Jn general, from about twenty to thirty two-horfe cart-loads may be fufikient for 

 one flack. 



Where grain is ftacked loofe, in the manner of hay, it is the common practice 

 to have feveral perfons upon the flack as for hay, the corn being forked up and 

 placed on the fides all round in a fimilar manner ; after which other parcels arc 

 laid round on the infide of thefe, fo as to bind them in a fecure manner from flip 

 ping outwards ; proceeding in the fame way till the whole middle fpace is well 

 filled up; when the operator commences another courfe in the fame method, and 

 goes on in this mode, courfe after courfe, till he has formed the whole of the 

 Hem ; when he begins to take in the roof, in a very gradual manner, in every courfe 

 until he brings the whole to a ridge or point, according as the ftack is formed. 

 In order that the roofs may throw off the water in the mod perfect manner, they 

 fhould be differed to have a flight degree of fulnefsor fwell a little about the mid 

 dle, and not be made flat, as is frequently the cafe. 



But where the corn is bound into meaves, feldom more than one perfon is em 

 ployed in performing the bufinefs of building the flack, except where the dimen- 

 fions are very confiderable ; in which cafes it is found neceffary to have a boy to 

 receive the (heaves from the pitcher, and hand them to the man who builds the 

 flack. In executing this work it is of the greateft importance that the centre of 

 the flack be conflantly kept in a fomewhat raifed ftate above that of the fides, as 

 by this means the /heaves have a floping direction outwards, by which the entrance 

 of moifture is more effectually guarded againft. To accomplifli this in the moft 

 perfect method, it is the beft practice for the operator to begin in the middle of 

 the ftand or fladdle, fetting the flieaves together, fo as that they may incline a little 

 againft each other, placing the reft in fucceflive rows againft them till he comes 

 to the outfide, when he carries a courfe of flieaves quite round, in a mere 

 Hoping manner than in the preceding courfes. Having thus formed the bot 

 tom of the ftack, it is afterwards ufual to begin at the outfide, and ad 

 vance with different courfes round the whole, placing each ccurfe a little xvithin 

 the other, fo as to bind them in a perfect manner, till he comes to the middle. 

 Different courfes arc to be laid fomewhat in the fame way, till the whole of the 

 fttm is completed j when the laft outfide row of flieaves is, in fome cafes, laid a 

 very little more out than the others, in order to form a fort of projection for the 

 eaves. Where the ftem of the flack is however formed in the manner advifed above, 

 this may be omitted without any inconvenience, as the water will be thrown off 

 without touching the wafte of the ftack. The roof is to be formed by placing 



