CHAP. vi. MOWING. 831 



until it sheds its seed. The best time, therefore, for mowing meadows, 

 is just when the herbage is about to come into flower; and with 

 respect to other grass lands, this operation should be performed before 

 the grass comes into full flower. 



The very early or rich meadows, and highly manured upland 

 pastures, in the neighbourhood of large towns and cities, are usually 

 ready for mowing some time in June ; l and all the meadows and 

 pastures which may not be cut in that month should be mown in July. 

 In the act of mowing, the great object is to cut the grass as close to the 

 ground as possible, and perfectly level, without, however, touching the 

 necks of the plants, or injuring the sward. It is thought that grass 

 will not thrive well that is not mown perfectly level and close ; and 

 the loss in the crop of hay is very considerable, for " one ineh at the 

 bottom weighs more than several at the top; " and besides, it is more 

 stimulating to the young shoots to cut the grass close, than it is to 

 leave it long and uneven. While great care should be taken, therefore, 

 to cut the grass close and level, the swathes should be pointed so as 

 to leave scarcely any ridges under them. The work of mowing calls 

 into action almost every muscle of the frame ; it is, in fact, one of 

 the most laborious and exhausting of all the agricultural operations 

 which the farm-hand has to perform. Mowing machines are now so 

 thoroughly effective, they do their work so cheaply as compared with 

 manual labour, and cost comparatively so small a sum, that, except in 

 the case of very small occupations, it is now scarcely excusable if they 

 be not used. Water meadows, however, are still chiefly scythe-mown, 

 the reason being that the surface is so broken up by the water carriers 

 that it would be difficult, and often impossible, to put the mowing 

 machine into the crop to any useful purpose. 



In converting grass into ha}% it is of essential importance to have 

 a proper supply of hands ready for the work. In some districts, two 

 or three, men or women, are reckoned to be sufficient to attend upon 

 each mower, who, if he is an expert workman, can, under ordinary 

 circumstances, cut from three-quarters of an acre to one acre per day. 



In the county of Middlesex the allowance is five haymakers, of both 

 sexes, including loaders, pitchers, stackers, &c., to one mower. The 

 making of hay has been there brought to a degree of perfection alto- 

 gether unequalled in any other part of the kingdom, and, as the Middle- 

 sex system is quoted far and wide, we here introduce Mr. Middleton's 

 interesting account of it, as given in his " Corrected Eeport of the 

 Agriculture of Middlesex." 



" First day. All the grass mown before nine o'clock in the morning 

 is tedded (or spread), and great care taken thorough^ to shake every 

 lump out of it, and to strew it evenly over all the ground. Soon after- 



1 If meadow be grown, 

 Let meadow be mown. 

 Plough early ye may, 

 And then carry hay. 



(June's Husbandry). Tusser. 



