234 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



Would seem to be best, however, when mixed with stable 

 dung, or rather laid on top of it. It is said to be very good 

 to mix with lime in composts, as the lime is best calculated 

 to dissolve the oil it contains; and oil is known to be an 

 ingredient in the food of plants It is also recommended to 

 be mixed in dry sandy or gravelly soils, for the purpose 

 of enabling such to retain a due degree of moisture. 



MOWING. This being a laborious employment, it be- 

 comes necessary lor the Mower to husband his strength to 

 the best advantage. For this purpose, the first requisite is 

 to have a good sithe, of proper length, it the mowing ground 

 be not too rough, well hung on a light stiff snead; so that 

 the sithe will not tremble as it goes through the grass; hav- 

 ing the edge of the sithe to face the nib which is held in 

 the left hand ; and to keep it well ground and well wheted. 

 As much art is requisite in keeping a sithe in the best or 

 der, as there is in learning to mow well. 



The sneads most commonly used are bent in a twisted- 

 shape ; but some use a snead which is nearly in the shape 

 of a half-circle, and the latter are always preiered by those 

 who huve become used to them. They take a wider swath 

 with the same extension of the arms; a larger cut, and. 

 therefore may be slower; require less stooping; and from 

 the position of the body which is requisite to enter the 

 point of the sithe into the grass, being more twisted round 

 to the right, little more is requisite than bringing the body 

 to its natural posture to carry the sithe through. 



Mowers should always be at their work betimes in the 

 morning, so as to have half their day's work performed be- 

 fore the heat of the day ; and then they can afford them- 

 selves a resting-spell during the most sultry hours. By 

 this mean, too, the mowed grass has a longer time for dry- 

 ing during the day. 



Where mo wing- grounds or meadows are of perfectly 

 smooth surface, as they ought always to be, particular pains 

 should always be taken in mowing to cut the grass as close 

 to the ground and as evenly as possible. Mr. Young re- 

 marks, that grass will never thrive well that is not mown 

 quite close ; and the loss in the crop where this is not done 

 is very considerable^ as one ineh at the bottom weighs 

 more than several at the top.' 



MOWING-GROUND. We generally apply this term 

 to arable lands that are laid down to grass. But little is 

 necessary to be said under this head, further than what has 

 been' said under GRASSES and MEADOWS. This may, how* 

 ever, be observed of all grasses which are not biennial, that 

 tjie ground becomes bound it is good husbandry t^ 



