428 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



neath and only sufficiently near to sustain other poles 

 laid across them; upon this, a covering of old straw 

 should be laid. When the stack rests on the ground, 

 the hay at the bottom of the stack will be injured from 

 one to two feet from the ground, according to the loca- 

 tion and climate, by imbibing moisture from the earth. 



When building stacks, whether of the long or round 

 form, it is greatly important that the centre shall be 

 kept considerably higher from the ground upward than 

 the sides, otherwise water will seep in from the sides 

 and penetrate downward. It is also greatly important 

 that the stack shall be kept evenly tramped, that the 

 settling may be even. Where the settling of the stack 

 is even everywhere and a little sloping downward all 

 the way from the centre to the outer edges, it would not 

 be easy for any considerable quantity of water to pene- 

 trate a stack even though topped out only reasonably 

 well. 



Marsh grass where it can be obtained furnishes the 

 best grass covering for stacks. It is most suitably put 

 on in the green form and combed down all around with 

 a rake to straighten the stems downward. Blue grass, 

 such as obtained in fence corners, is also good, since 

 it is not easily penetrated by rain. Small weights 

 should be suspended to wires or ropes, running over 

 the ridge or crown of the stack to hold the covering in 

 place. Sometimes stacks are covered with cloth such as 

 is used in making tents or of any material that will 

 turn rain and that is not too costly. 



When clover, cow peas or vetches are stacked in a 

 climate of much rainfall, unless the tops of the stacks 



