On Hay-making. 31 



What a melancholy falling off, from 183 acts of inclosure in 1813, 

 to 10 in 1831! 



No. VII. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE MODE OF MAKING NATURAL GRASS INTO 

 HAY, AS PRACTISED IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF LONDON. 



By John Middlcton, Esq. Author of the celebrated Report of Middlesex. 



THIS branch of the rural art has, by the farmers of Middlesex, been 

 brought to a degree of perfection, altogether unequalled by any other 

 part of the kingdom. The neat husbandry, and superior skill and 

 management, that are so much and justly admired in the arable 

 farmers of the best cultivated districts, may, with equal justice and 

 propriety, be 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 to a regular sys- 

 tem, 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 unfavourable weather, the hay made according to the Middle- 

 sex manner, is superior to that made by any other method, under si- 

 milar 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 atten- 

 tion and imitation of farmers in other districts, I shall, for their infor- 

 mation, endeavour minutely to describe the method 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. Be- 

 fore I enter more immediately on this task, I would just premise a 

 few observations. When the grass is nearly fit for mowing, the Mid- 

 dlesex farmer endeavours to select the best mowers, in number propor- 

 tioned to the quantity of his grass, and the length of time it would 

 be advisable to have it in hand ; which having done, he lets it out, 

 either as piece-work, or to be mown by the acre *. 



About the same time he provides five hay- makers, (men and wo- 

 men f,) to each mower. These last are paid by the day, the men at- 

 tending from six till six ; but the women only from eight till six. For 



* Each man mows from one acre and a half to an acre and three quarters 

 per day ; some there are, who do two acres per day, during the whole season. 

 .7. M. . 



f Including loaders, pitchers, stackers, and all others. /. M. 



