348 ECONOMY OF HAY-CAPS. 



say that, after using them constantly, for the last seven 

 years, I consider them of the first importance in the 

 most critical branch of farming. 



" I can safely affirm that my hay has been intrinsically 

 worth, on the average, one or two dollars a ton more 

 than my neighbors', which has been proved by the 

 remarkable health of my animals. 



" My horses have not been sick an hour, and the 

 heaves are unknown in my stable, which may fairly be 

 attributed to the fact that no musty hay ever enters my 

 barn ; and it is probable that the milk of cows may be 

 as unhealthy, if they eat badly-cured hay, as if fed on 

 what is called swill in the cities. 



" Having these covers always at hand, it has been my 

 practice to mow my grass when it was ready, without 

 consulting the almanac, or waiting for a change of the 

 moon ; and the result has been that I have had more 

 thafi my share of good luck in this important branch of 

 business. 



" They are also very useful as a protection against 

 heavy dews, and as a cover for coarse clover and 

 Timothy I consider them indispensable. 



" After long experience, 1 have found the most ap 

 proved method of making the hay-covers, which may 

 be used for wheat and other grain crops with great 

 advantage, is to take stout unbleached cotton sheeting, 

 of a suitable width, say from thirty-seven to forty-five 

 inches wide, — the latter is the beet, — cut it into 

 squares, and attach to each corner, by a string or other- 

 wise, a pin made of wood, twelve or fifteen inches long, 

 cut off smooth at one end and rounded over at the 

 other, which completes the affair. The size- of the pin 

 should be about an inch in diameter. 



" Hemming the selvages is a matter of fancy, as they 

 would do very well without it ; and, if a tannery is near 



