314 



An Agent's Suggestions. 



Vol. rV. 



to begin to cut in rainy weather. However, 

 be this as it may, the swarths should not be 

 opened but on a fine day, and when this is 

 done, the grass should be well shaken apart 

 and equally spread over the ground ; and as 

 soon as the upper surface is dry, turn it well 

 over, and in this operation great care should 

 be taken to open and spread any cocks that 

 may not have been divided in the first open- 

 ing: this being done, commence raking into 

 wind-rows in time, that the whole may be 

 made into small cocks before the night. The 

 second day these cocks must remain untouched, 

 let the weather be wet or dry. The third day, 

 if the weather be certain and fine, throw the 

 cocks open ; but if the weather be wet or 

 threatening, they may remain another day, 

 or until the weather is certain to be fine for 

 the day. The cocks should then be thrown, 

 according to the crop, into beds of two or 

 three rows, and after three or four hours ex- 

 posure, turned over, and taking time to gather 

 the whole into wind-rows and cocks before 

 nioht; let this operation commence accord- 

 ingly, and nune be left open. The day after 

 this, which in fine weather will be the fourth, 

 the cocks ynust again remain untouched, or not 

 be opened, whether the weather be wet or dry. 

 On the fifth, or the next dry day, these cocks 

 will only require to be opened for an hour or 

 two, after which time they will be fit for the 

 stack. 



The novelty of this mode, consists only 

 in suffering the hay to remain in cock the 

 second or third, or alternate days ; and at first, 

 sight it may appear that so much time in fine 

 weather must be lost, but this is by no means 

 the case, for whilst the hay remains in cocks, 

 a slight fermentation, or what is termed 

 sweating, will take place ; and in conse- 

 quence, after it has been opened on the third 

 and fifth days, it will prove to be just as for- 

 ward as if it had been worked every day ; 

 and the advantages resulting from this, are 

 obviously the following : — By shortening the 

 time of open exposure, the colour of the hay 

 is more perfectly preserved, and consequent- 

 ly, the quality ; and the fermentation or sweat- 

 ing which takes place in the cocks, proves 

 so much to have diminished the principle or 

 inclination, as to prevent its heating injuri- 

 ously in the stack ; and the whole operation 

 of making, whether it takes four days or 

 eight, requires three days' labour only ; and 

 the hay being left in that state every night, 

 in which it is the least possibly exposed to 

 the injuries of the weather, and in which it 

 may remain for a day or two in uncertain 

 weather, without injurious exposure, most 

 ])aiiiful anxiety and useless attendance of la- 

 bours are obviated." 



Hay ward'' s Science of Agriculture. 



An Agent's Suggestions. 



To the Proprietors of the Farmers' Cabinet. 



I congratulate the friends of the Cabinet 

 on the change of proprietorship of that very 

 useful work ; it will now go on and prosper. 

 The arrangement which has been made for 

 the editor — a practical farmer — to visit the 

 country in his oflicial capacity, is the best 

 that could be devised, and is exactly that 

 which was adopted by the " Albany Cultiva- 

 tor;" and had it not been for the sudden 

 death of its excellent editor, it is the convic- 

 tion of all its friends, that infinite good to all 

 parties would have been the result. 



I am, and have been, from the time of its 

 commencement, one of the agents of the 

 Cabinet; and living in a district surrounded 

 with a number of excellent farmers, all of 

 whom will, I trust, now become subscribers, 

 I have the means of knowing what would 

 be required to make it, net only a general, 

 but an universal favourite with the agricultu- 

 rists throughout the country. The price, I 

 know, is low, but that is no reason why the 

 book should not be continued at the present 

 price ; nor is it anything against its becoming 

 still more valuable in its arrangements, both 

 in the matter as well as the manner; and in 

 the hands of its present proprietors and pub- 

 lishers, I trust it will so become — depending 

 upon its great sale for remuneration, just as 

 the bible and other standard v/orks are now 

 furnished, and at a profit too, for less than it 

 would be possible to issue them without a 

 circulation of tens of thousands. Allow me, 

 then, to speak my sentiments candidly, and 

 with the sincere desire to promote the circu- 

 lation of a publication on a subject which re- 

 quires only to be known, felt, and understood, 

 to rally round it the warm hearts and rigid 

 hands oU\ie agricultural community generally 

 — individually. 



In the first place, then, let its appearance 

 be punctual as the promises of a friend: this, 

 I am convinced, is not a difficult arrange- 

 ment; for suppose the day of publication be 

 as heretofore, on the 15th of the month — I 

 dislike the word, about — it looks suspicious; 

 well, then, let this day to the publishers be 

 the 12th; there then is exactly the same in- 

 terval to them, from the r2th of one month 

 to the l'2th of another, in which to prepare 

 for the publication, and then every farmer 

 would obtain his book at the time specified, 

 — a matter of more moment tlian almost any 

 one would imagine ; for often have I known 

 of late, that when the subscribers have called 

 upon me for their numbers, coming from a 

 great distance for the purpose, they have de- 

 clared their determination to quit taking it, 

 it was so irregular in its publication, — ob- 



