JUNE. 357 



said to belong, in a very eminent degree, to the 

 hay farmers of Middlesex, for by them may very 

 fairly be claimed the merit of having reduced the 

 art of making good hay into a regular system ; 

 which, after having stood the test of long practice 

 and experience, is found to be attended with the 

 most desirable success. Even in the most unfa- 

 vourable weather, the hay made according to the 

 Middlesex manner, is superior to that made by any 

 other method under similar circumstances. It is 

 to be regretted that this very excellent practice has 

 not yet, except in a very few instances, travelled 

 beyond the borders of the county. But as it most 

 justly deserves the attention and imitation of far- 

 mers in other districts, I shall, for their infor- 

 mation, endeavour minutely to describe the me- 

 thod in which the Middlesex farmers make their 

 hay. 



In order that the subject may be more clearly 

 understood, I shall relate the particular operations 

 of each day, during the whole process, from the 

 moment in which the mower first applies his scythe, 

 to that in which the hay is secured either in the 

 barn or in the stack. Before I enter more imme- 

 diately on this task, I would just premise a few ob- 

 servations, viz. when the grass is nearly fit for 

 mowing, the Middlesex farmer endeavours to se- 

 lect 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 

 A a 3 having 



