CHAP. vi. AFTERMATH HAY. 



only." As a matter of practice, it is not usual to take more than 

 one hay crop a year off water meadows. In the counties of Wilts and 

 Hants, where water meadow husbandry is largely pursued, the " meads " 

 are " flooded " or " drowned" once or twice after the hay crop has 

 been carried off, and the aftermath is grazed either by cattle, or by 

 farm horses, or by both, till far into the autumn. The " meadman " 

 is meanwhile engaged in cleaning out the water-carriers, trimming their 

 banks, &c., and the meads are periodically flooded throughout the 

 winter. By the middle or end of March they carry a fair amount of 

 herbage, on which sheep are hurdled throughout April. Subsequently 

 the meads get two or three floodings, which stimulate rapid growth, 

 and the cutting of the hay crop commences about the end of June. 

 Sheep are not allowed to graze the water meadows in autumn, lest they 

 should succumb to the liver fluke, the attacks of which are not to be 

 feared after the cold of winter. 



If after-grass is consumed in the usual way by grazing shortly after 

 the fields are cleared of hay, or in autumn, its value will be small, 

 unless in the case of water meadows, on account of the abundance of 

 food usually prevailing at that season ; but when kept for ewes and 

 lambs, and other stock, in the depth of winter and the trying season 

 of spring, when food is scarce, it becomes of the greatest value. 



The making of aftermath hay is not by any means general, and is 

 always precarious. The autumnal dews and shortening days, combined 

 with the succulent nature of the herbage, are all against it. But as 

 many of the late-growing grasses, of which the herbage principally 

 consists, are specially nutritious, there is a prevalent opinion that the 

 lattermath is of higher quality than the first cut. In adverse weather 

 it is advisable, after mowing the aftermath, to convert it into silage. 



The old Welsh system of " fogging," or allowing the hay crop to 

 cure itself, uncut, in the open fields, is contrary to all the principles 

 on which grass land is managed in other parts of the country. 



Having stated in the preceding part of this work the most useful 

 modes of consuming the after-grass, we have only to add a word or two 

 as to the time proper for shutting it up for use during the following 

 winter and spring. This depends on the character of the soil. Land 

 of moderate fertility should be shut up immediately after it has been 

 mown; but in fields of greater luxuriance, August is a better month, 

 and still richer lands need not be closed until September. 



