Hay-time 



a settler has begun to cut such a place, he looks 

 on it as secure for the season. 



The " prairie-wool," as the grass on the higher 

 parts is called, is probably more nutritious, but 

 of course requires much more labour to put up 

 an equal quantityTj 



Our friends were fortunate in having a fine 

 slough on their own place, a depression some fifteen 

 acres in extent, nearly round, with a fringe of 

 willows. Here Bob had begun cutting a couple 

 of days previously, and some was now dry enough 

 for Jim to follow with the horse-rake ; and Tom 

 went down to help put it in cocks, while Harry 

 and I finished off the rack for our wagon and 

 got theirs ready. 



In consequence of the dryness of the climate, 

 I the hay usually requires little of that laborious 

 making so common in Britain ; but it must not 

 be supposed the weather is always to be depended 

 on, and quantities of grass are often cut and 

 never stacked. 



/Owing to the value and scarcity of labour, 

 fanners and ranchers have contrived various ex- 

 pedients for getting the hay together, with more 

 or less success. 



One such plan, where a stack is put up on the 

 spot, is what is known as sweeping it. A beam 

 of wood some twenty feet long, with a team of 



97 G 



