136 



This custom 1 gave up with much reluctance, on ac- 

 count of its singularity, and the great convenience I de- 

 rived from throwing a part of my process of hay-making 

 into a season when the hay was made up with the greatest 

 facihty, instead of the short December days, in which I 

 had much to save. 



The quantity I saw was greatly increased ; and I never 

 suspected a deterioration of quality, when I observed my 

 cattle consuming this hay, with the same apparent avidity 

 they eat my otlier fiorin. 



I only feared that by deferring to mow until spring, I 

 should injure the succeeding crop ; I therefore directed 

 my attention to this subject, and by careful experiments, 

 ascertained that 1 might with great safety defer mowing 

 until the end of March. 



Accident discovered how little mischief was incurred 

 by leaving my fiorin crop standing until a strangely late 

 period. 



I was offered a grant of land on Dartmoor Mountain 

 in Devon, on condition I should cultivate it as far as 

 might be with fiorin grass. 



While I was communicating with the late Colonel 

 M^^Mahon on the subject, I reserved a portion of my 

 fiorin meadow uncut, to furnish me with stolones, should 

 I require them, at Dartmoor. 



At length the negociation breaking off, I mowed the 

 portion on May 14th, and in the ensuing November found 

 a sharp eye was necessary to discover the inferiority of 

 this portion to the contiguous parts of the meadow. 



I gained nothing by surmounting this difficulty ; for, my 

 suspicion of the hay losing its saccharum by being too 

 long uncut, gaining ground at this time, I made the expe- 

 periment decidedly, and going abroad for ten days at the 

 end of February, I ordered all my milch cows to be fed 



