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LETTER LXXI. 



Armagh, Oct. 16, 1818. 



J. HIS morning we found the people engaged 

 in cutting the florin : they accomplished the 

 mowing of it with short scythes more expedi- 

 tiously than I could have expected. The me- 

 thod pursued in making this grass into hay, is 

 to roll it up into what is called lap-cocks, 

 leaving a space for the air to pass through 

 them ; this is done about two days after it is 

 mown. These cocks are occasionally turned, 

 and after remaining about a fortnight in that 

 state the hay is fit for stacking. With the ex- 

 ception of the parts exposed to rain, which 

 turn black, the hay is of good color. Four 

 and twenty hours' rain did not preclude its 

 being stacked on the succeeding day ; that 

 which we saw in the morning would be quite 

 ready and fit for stacking in the afternoon. As 

 peat ashes answer for top dressings, the soil 

 most appropriate for its growth happily fur- 

 nishes the means for its abundant production. 



