HAY-BINDING. 155 



square corner. He then strikes into the parcel 

 detached, a large two-tined fork, of which the 

 prongs are about a foot long, and, thrusting his 

 hand in at about the same distance down the 

 side, he brings off a compact bundle of the 

 hay, nearly square and flat ; the external rough 

 parts having been previously removed. This 

 bundle is laid across two of the bands, which 

 are then brought round, and twisted into a 

 tight knot, with considerable strength and ex- 

 ertion. Hay-binders can usually guess within 

 a pound the weight of a truss, which should 

 be, if cut before Michaelmas, sixty pounds, if 

 after, fifty-six pounds. But they do not trust 

 to guessing. Steel-yards are always used, 

 hooked on the shaft of a hay-fork, which two 

 men support on their shoulders ; and the weight 

 must be accurately adjusted, or it will not be 

 admitted to the market. 



