SCt. II. THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 



cut and bound up in sheaves, dried in stocks, 

 and put up in stacks like barley or oats. But if 

 hay only be the object, it is cut dcwn at least a 

 a fortnight before it be ripe, and while the seed 

 is not yet in a state to be easily separated from 

 the straw. Several advantages arise from this 

 practice. The hay will be much superior in 

 quality than when allowed to be fully ripe ; will 

 have a better flavour, and possess more of the 

 natural juices. When completely ripened, be- 

 fore it be cut, the seed is apt to be mostly lost 

 in the process of winning, stacking, cutting 

 down again, and carrying to the rack or hay- 

 loft. And this kind of grass, when fully ripe, 

 and deprived of the seed, is little superior to oat- 

 straw. Another advantage is, that, by cutting 

 before it be ripe, the ground will be less exhaus- 

 ted. When plants of any kind are allowed to 

 run to seed, the leaves fall or wither ; and the 

 stem grows dry and hard, and consequently in- 

 capable of deriving any further nourishment 

 from the air. The soil, therefore, being now o- 

 bliged to supply the whole food necessary for 

 maturing and perfecting the plants, must be 

 greatly scourged and exhausted. This injury 

 to the ground will be prevented by removing 

 the crop before it be fully ripe. Another ad- 

 vantage, derived from early cutting, is, that the 

 succeeding crop of clover will be more forward 

 and more luxuriant, and the rye-grass, spring- 

 ing again, will render it more weighty and a- 

 bundant. And, which is of no small conse- 

 quence, if the whole second crop shall not be 

 necessary for green food, more time will be al- 

 lowed for making it into hay. Perhaps the b^st 



