50 CONTINUOUS CROPPING 



the stack can be determined. A good maximum tem- 

 perature to get the stack to is 120 deg. F., which means 

 that if a piece of iron be thrust into the stack and left 

 there about ten minutes, the iron on being withdrawn 

 is so hot that it cannot be borne in the hand. 



Slight heating will, of course, take place in the pikes, 

 and when this is on the decline (judged by the use of an 

 iron bar), I commence to cart. If heating in a pike 

 takes place due to moisture, that is damp heating, the 

 pikes should be spread out, dried a httle more and 

 re-made before stacking, otherwise they won't fire 

 but turn mouldy. Re-heating also takes place in the 

 stack — ^very slowly at first, and rapidly later. The 

 following are the chief points to be remembered in 

 connection therewith. First, the slower the stack is 

 built the greater the heat will become. 



The reason for this is that the stuff is loose and a 

 great amount of air is present. 



Well tramping the stack also minimises the after- 

 heating. Hence, with very dry hay slow carting seems 

 to be indicated. In practice, though, one likes to put 

 a bit of a hustle into hay carting, so that, except in the 

 case of the small farmer, master of his own time and 

 work, slow stack building does not appear to be very 

 feasible. 



When slow stack building is necessary the best way 

 of carrying it out is to build two stacks at the same 

 time, working alternate days on each. Where this is not 

 possible, and the hay has got so dry that the after- 

 heating cannot be very great, I often cut a load of 

 green stuff, just letting the outside moisture dry off, 

 and put a bit of this in the stack whilst building — 

 about I cwt. to every load of hay. 



Now, the ideal way of stacking vetch hay is to bring 

 in the stuff dry, but sHghtly green, and stack it. That 

 is, as the farmer puts it, "let it heat from its own 



