STACK. 



managing the work of building the 

 stack, except in cases where the di- 

 mensions are very considerable, in 

 which case it is found necessary to 

 have a boy to receive the sheaves 

 from the pitcher and hand them to 

 the man who builds the stack. In 

 executing the work, it is of the ut- 

 most importance that the centre of 

 the stack be constantly kept in a 

 somewhat raised state above the 

 sides, as the sheaves have thus a 

 sloping direction outwards by which 

 the entrance of moisture is more ef- 

 fectually guarded against and pre- 

 vented. To accomplish this in the 

 most perfect manner, the workman 

 begins in the middle of the stand or 

 staddle, setting the sheaves together 

 so that they may incline a little 

 against each other, placing the rest 

 in successive rows against them till 

 he comes to the outside, when he car- 

 ries a course of sheaves quite round, 

 in a more sloping manner than in the 

 preceding courses. The bottom of 

 the stack being formed in this way, 

 it is afterward usual to begin at the 

 outside, and advance with difierent 

 courses round the whole, placing 

 each course a little within the other, 

 so as to bind them in an exact and 

 careful manner, till the stacker comes 

 to the middle. All the different cours- 

 es are to be laid on in a similar manner 

 until the whole of the stem is raised 

 and completed, when the last outside 

 row of sheaves is, in most cases, 

 placed a very little more out than the 

 others, in order to form a sort of pro- 

 jection for the eaves, that the water 

 may be thrown oft' more effectually. 

 But in cases where the stems of the 

 stacks are formed so as to project 

 outward in the manner already no- 

 ticed, this may be omitted without 

 any bad consequences, as the water 

 will be thrown off easily without 

 touching the waste of the stack. The 

 roof is to be formed by placing the 

 sheaves gradually a little more in and 

 in, in every course, until it comes to 

 a ridge, or point, according to the 

 form of the stack, as has been al- 

 ready observed. But in forming and 

 constructing this part of the stack, 

 753 



great care should constantly be taken 

 to give the ear ends of the sheaves a 

 sufficiently sloping direction upward, 

 in order that they may be tlie better 

 secured from wetness ; and to the 

 outside should be given a rounded 

 form, in the manner that has been 

 already noticed. 



" A funnel or chimney is frequent- 

 ly formed or left in circular stacks, 

 especially in wet districts, in order 

 to prevent their taking on too much 

 heat : where these funnels are not 

 formed with the basement of timber, 

 iron, or masonry, they are produced 

 by tying a sheaf up in a very tight 

 manner, and placing it in the middle, 

 on the foundation of the stack, pull- 

 ing it up occasionally as the building 

 of the stack proceeds all round it. In 

 setting up ricks in bad harvests, it is 

 a practice in some places, particular- 

 ly with barley crops, to have three or 

 four pretty large poles tied together, 

 by wmding straw ropes round them, 

 set up in the middle, round which the 

 stacks are then built. But except 

 the stacks are large, or the grain, 

 when put into them, is in an imperfect 

 condition, such openings are quite 

 unnecessary. 



" The stacking of hay requires 

 much care and attention in the per- 

 son employed for the purpose, though 

 less than that of building grain stacks. 

 There should constantly be a proper 

 stand or foundation, somewhat raised 

 by wood or other materials, prepared 

 for placing the stacks upon ; but no- 

 thing of the coping kind is here ne- 

 cessary. In the business of stacking 

 hay, the work should be constantly 

 performed, as much as possible, while 

 the sun is upon the hay, as considera- 

 ble advantage is thus gained in its 

 quality : and it is necessary to have 

 a stacker that has been accustomed 

 to the business, and a proper number 

 of persons to help upon the stack, in 

 order that it may be well spread out 

 and trodden down. 



" The building of hay stacks should 

 be conducted much in the same way 

 as the building of stacks of loose 

 grain ; the middle of the stack being 

 always well kept up a little higher 



