372 Cidtiiat wn of Arabic Land, Sttlnlfoin After-managem nt of. 



appear very green, and the ftack when made take on a confider able degree of heat 

 there is no danger to be apprehended, provided the weather has been fair during 

 the hay-making; as it is fo far from taking harm by heating in the flack, that the 

 contrary (late is mofi to be feared ; and for this rcafon care is neceflhry not to fuffer 

 r he fodder to continue long cither in the fvvath or in grafs cocks, left the fun and 

 wind fhould dry it up too fa ft, and, by exhaling its juices, prevent its heating in 

 the flack, and thereby render it of little value. In order to preferve its fucculence 

 infome places they put a number of the grafs cocks together, fo as to form large 

 cocks of a fize to contain a load in each, and finifli the fuicks out of the cocks. 

 It is likevvife the practice with many farmers, when the crop is flight, to turn the 

 fwaths, and then run them into cocks with a three-pronged barley fork, follow- 

 in 01 with a wooden dew rake, the head of which is of fufficient width to cover th e 

 oround occupied by three or four fwaths ; in this manner proceeding with the ut- 

 moft difpatch,faving a deal of labour and expenfe.* 



In letting this crop fland for feed, it fhculd remain on the land till the hufks 

 become of a fomewhat brown colour, and the feeds are perfectly plump and firm, 

 as by thcfc means they will not only be better, but in lefs danger of being injured 

 in the field from the little time that it will be neceffary for them to remain, and 

 alfo lefs in danger of being hurt by heating when laid up. After this degree of 

 maturity is attained, the crop fhould be mown as foon as poffible,and remain expofed 

 in the fvvath till the upper furface is fully dried : it mufl then be turned over in 

 a very careful manner, fo as to prevent the feed from fhedding, as much as the na_ 

 ture of the bufmefs will admit. This fide being rendered perfectly dry and crifp 

 in the fame way, the crop is either threfhed out upon cloths in the field, or laid up 

 in flacks to be afterwards performed. The bufinefs of threfhing out the feed in 

 this crop, however, is much lefs troublefome than in that of clover. Where 

 threfhing-machines are inufe, it may be threfhed out with great facility in that 

 method. When thefeafon is favourable the practice of threfhing it out in the firfl 

 way is probably the moft beneficial, as the ftems,. or haulm, may be laid up for the 

 purpofe of fodder in the flack. 



The produce in feed is ufually from about four to five coombs in fome diftricts ; 

 but in others it will probably be much lefs, efpecially on the fhallovver forts of 

 faintfoin foils. 



It is evident, from the facts that have been flated, that this is a plant of vaft 

 utility to the farmer, not only in providing a full fupply of fodder for the fupport 



* Synopfis of Husbandry. 



