176 Of S t. F o i n. Chap. XIL 



This gives the Owner a Third Chance of having 

 Weather to make good Hay, and fpins out the Hay- 

 Seafon 'till about Midfummer; and then in about a 

 Fortnight, or Three Weeks* after the Hay is finim'd, 

 the Seed is ripe. But, firft, of the manner of making 

 St. Foin Hay. 



In a Day or Two after St. Foin is mow'd, it will, 

 in good Weather, be dry on the upper Side: Then 

 turn the Swarths, notfingly, but Two and Two to- 

 gether-, for by thus turning them in Pairs, there is a 

 double Space of Ground betwixt Pair and Pair, which 

 needs but once raking ; whereas, if the Swarths were 

 turn'd fingly, that is, all the fame Way, fuppofe to 

 the Eaft oxWeft^ then all the Ground will require to 

 be twice raked - 3 at leaft, more of it, than the other 

 Way. 



As foon as both Sides of the Swarths are dry from 

 Rain and Dew, make them up into little Cocks the 

 fame Day they are turn'd, if conveniently you can 5 

 for when 'tis in Cock, a lefs Part of it will be expofed 

 to the Injuries of the Night, than when in Swarth. 



Dew, being of a nitrous penetrating Nature, enters 

 the Pores of thofe Plants it reaches, and during the 

 Night pofTeiTes the Room from whence fome Part of 

 the Juices is dry'd out: Thus it intimately mixes with 

 the remaining Sap •, and, when the Dew is again ex- 

 hal'd, it carries up moil of the vegetable Spirits along 

 with it, which might have been there fix'd, had they 

 not been taken away in that fubtile Vehicle. 



If St. Foin be fpread very thin upon the Ground, 

 and fo remain for a Week in hot Weather, the Sun 

 and Dew will exhauft all its Juices, and leave it no 

 more Virtue than is in Straw. 



Therefore tis bell to keep as much of our Hay as 

 we can from being expofed to the Dews, whilft 'tis 

 in making; and we have a better Opportunity of 

 doing it in this, than in natural Hay •, becaufe the 

 bigger the Cocks are, the lefs Superficies (in propor- 

 tion 



