On Grass Land. 429 



courage, by any duty, however slight, so essential a means 

 of improvement. The taking off the tax on clover seed, 

 would therefore be a great boon to British agriculture, and 

 in particular, would promote the use of that valuable plant, 

 in the poorer and more remote districts of the kingdom. 

 The advantage which the farmers would derive from the 

 proposed reduction may be thus calculated. Every 500 

 acres of arable land has, on an average, 100 acres annually 

 laid down with clover, at the rate of 12 Ibs. of clover seed, 

 which, at lOd. per pound, (the medium price of the last three 

 years,) would cost L. 50. If the tax were taken off, the 

 price of the seed would be reduced to 8d. per pound, making 

 a saving to the farmers, who cultivated 500 acres of arable 

 land, to the amount of L. 10 per annum. 



10. Stacking Hay. 



This important operation is performed, in many parts of 

 England, with peculiar care and dexterity. The stacks are 

 frequently round, and the sides and part of the roof, are 

 brought to the most regular form, by hand-pulling, so that 

 no rain makes any impression upon the stack. The hay thus 

 pulled, is used to top the stack or cock ; and, on the whole, 

 answers the purpose better than straw, which is not so pli- 

 able, and unless laid on with great attention, is apt to ad- 

 mit water ( 364 ). 



11. Salting Hay. 



The salting of hay, at the time of stacking, has been prac- 

 tised in Derbyshire ( 365 ), and in the North Riding of York- 

 shire ( 366 ). The salt, particularly when applied to the se- 

 cond crop of clover, or when the crop has received much 

 rain, checks the fermentation, and prevents moulding. If 

 straw be mixed with the hay, the heating of the stack is still 

 further prevented, by the straw imbibing the moisture. Cat- 

 tle will eat not only such salted hay, but even the straw mix- 

 ed with it, more eagerly, than better hay not salted, and also 

 thrive as well upon it. The quantity recommended is, a 

 peck of ground rock salt to a ton of hay. In consequence of 

 being thus treated, hay that had been flooded, was prefer- 

 red by cattle, to the best hay that had not been salted. 



