Haymaking. 



then dragged to the stack where the load is automatically 

 deposited by simply backing the horses. 



This implement will pick up the hay out of the swathe, but 

 it will not pick up a very large load in this way, and it is better 

 to have it in cocks or heaps. Where it has not already been 

 cocked it is sufficient to rake it up into windrows and then 

 with the rake pull up the rows endwise into heaps or "lumps." 

 An ordinary load of the sweeprake is two -thirds of a cart- 

 load, but a full cartload can often be taken when the hay is 

 in extra good condition and it can be dragged downhill. If 

 the hay does not pick up smoothly then it is a sure sign it is 

 not fit to stack. 



Having got the hay to the stack the next process is to get 

 it placed on it, and the implement next shown is the 

 complement of the other. Many devices for this purpose are 

 in u^e in America, and the one the author has adopted in 

 practice is a combination of the principle of an American 

 stacker adapted to an English elevator. As will be seen 

 in the engraving (Fig. II. the long tines or teeth rest on the 

 ground in the reverse way of the sweeprake, and when a load 

 is brought up on the latter it is driven straight on to the 

 elevator tines — the teeth of the sweeprake interlocking with 

 these — and the load deposited by backing as above mentioned. 

 By winding a handle with drum and ratchet attachment, the 

 elevator tines are next wound up as required and the load of 

 hay gradually tipped on to the revolving web of the elevator, 

 and carried upwards in the ordinary way ; a movable reversed 

 sweeprake thus taking the place of the hopper on the elevator. 



It will thus be seen that, in ordinary, fine weather, the hay 

 is made, carried, and put on to the stack without ever being 

 touched by hand tools at all, as it is only in the building of 

 the stack that forks come into use at the end. 



It may be objected that it is only in the case of large fields 

 and with a large acreage of hay that this system can be 

 adopted. But it can be carried out on a small scale with an 

 ordinary elevator, or even a horse fork (though the latter is not 

 so suitable for this purpose^ and one sweeprake. And where 

 the fields are small it is only necessary to enlarge some of 

 the gaps which usually exist in most farm fences, to make 



