Book VI. GRASS LANDS. 835 



from four or five to six or seven loads on the acre, such as are drawn by three or four 

 horses, in their return from taking up the hay to town. (^Dickson's Pract, Agr. vol. ii. 

 p. 916.) 



5212. Manure is laid on at intervals of time more or less distant, according to the same 

 circumstances that determine the quantity of it. Though there are some instances of 

 hay grounds bearing fair crops every year during a length of years, without any manure 

 or any advantage from pasturage, except what the after-grass has afforded {MarshaVs 

 Revieiv of Eeporls to the Board of Agriculture, p. 183. Western Department) ; yet, in 

 general, manure must either be allowed every third or fourth year, in the land depastured 

 one year, and mown the other ; ** or what is better, depasture two years and mow the 

 third." [Nortlnmiberland Report, p. 111.) A succession of hay crops without manure, 

 or pasturage, on meadows not irrigated, is justly condemned by all judicious farmers, as 

 a sure means of impoverishing the soil. 



.5213. Bog meadows are the least valuable of any ; they are of two kinds, peat bogs 

 and earthy bogs. The first are situated in hollows or basins, which, from having no 

 natural outlet for water, and not being so deep or so plentifully supplied with that 

 element as to constitute lakes, become filled jap with aquatic plants and mosses. By the 

 decay of these after a certain time, and the drainage and culture of art, a surface of mossy 

 soil is formed on which some of the inferior grasses may be sown or will spring up natu- 

 rally. In warm moist climates and where the mould of the bog is rich, fiorin or Timothy 

 grass may be found to answer; but in''general the woolly soft grass and cock's-foot are 

 resorted to, unless indeed lime be applied, or a coating of sand or earth, in which cases 

 the clovers and better grasses will sometimes answer. These bogs are in general too soft 

 for pasturing any other a:nimals than sheep. 



5214. Earth?/ bog meadows are situated either in hollows or on slopes. They 

 are formed by an accumulation of water in the subsoil, which not finding a free 

 passage in any one point, spreads under and filtrates upwards through a considerable 

 extent of surface. The grasses on such meadows before they are drained, are chiefly of 

 the sprot or juncus kind ; but by draining the quality of these is improved, and better 

 kinds appear. Such meadows yield a considerable produce of coarse hay ; they abound 

 chiefly in cold hilly districts devoted to breeding. 



5215. The culture and management of bog meadows differs in nothing essential from 

 that of the river kinds. A lighter roller is used in spring, the greatest care is taken in 

 eating down the latter grass, whether by small cattle or sheep ; and in some cases, in very 

 dry weather in summer, the main drains are dammed up for a few weeks in order to 

 stagnate the water, and supply the soil with moisture. No manure is ever given unless 

 in the case of some cultivated peat bogs, which are dressed with earthy or saline mixtures. 



5216. As branches of culture common to every description of hay lands may be men- 

 tioned, the hay-making, the application of the after-grass, and pasturage. 



5217. The making of natural or meadow hay has been carried to greater perfection in 

 the neighborhood of London than any where else, and may therefore, with great pro- 

 priety, be recommended as an example to the rest of the kingdom. The following ac- 

 count of it is drawn from Middletons Agincultural Survey of Middlesex. 



5218. IFhen the grass is nearly Jit for mowing, the Middlesex farmer endeavors to select 

 the best mowers, in number proportioned to the quantity of his grass and the length of 

 time it would be advisable to have it in hand ; which having done, he lets it out, either as 

 piece work, or to be mown by the acre. In the latter way, each man mows from one acre 

 and a half to an acre and three quarters per day ; some there are who do two acres per 

 day during the whole season. About the same time he provides five hay-makers Tmen and 

 women, including loaders, pitchers, stackers, and all others), to each mower. These last 

 are paid by the day, the men attending from six till six, but the women only from eight 

 till six. For an extra hour or two in the evening, when the business requires dispatch, 

 they receive a proportionate allowance. 



5219. The moxvers usually begin their work at three, four, or five o'clock in the morning, 

 and continue to labor till seven or eight at night ; resting an hour or two in the middle 

 of the day. Every hay-maker is expected to come provided with a fork and a rake of his 

 own ; nevertheless, when the grass is ready, and laborers scarce, the farmer is frequently 

 obliged to provide both, but for the most part only the rake. Every part of the oper- 

 ation is carried on with forks, except clearing the ground, which is done with rakes ; 

 and loading the carts, which is done by hand. 



5220. First day. All the grass mown before nine o'clock in the morning is tedded, in which great care 

 is taken thoroughly to loosen every lump, and to strew it evenly over all the ground. By this regular 

 method of tedding grass for hay, the hay will be of a more valuable quality, heat more equally in the 

 stack, consequently not so liable to damage or fire ; will be of greater quantity when cut into trusses, 

 and will sell at a better price ; for when the grass is suffered to lie a day or two before it is tedded out 

 of the swath, the upper surface is dried by the sun and winds, and the interior part is not dried, but 

 withered, so that the herbs lose much, both as to quality and quantity, which are very material circum- 

 stances. Soon after the tedding is finished, the hay is turned with the" same degree of care and attention ; 

 and if, from the number of hands they are able to turn the whole again, they do so, or at least as much 



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