52 
Recent Improvements in Haymaking. 
and expedition witli which it is g-ot tog^ether. In good weather 
the saving can hardly be over-estimated ; in a wet season, hand 
labour has generally the preference — the reason being, that more 
turnings in the swathe, and less spreading abroad, is then essen- 
tial. One great point in making hay is not to knock it about 
roughly when hall-made ; the tedding-machine should never be 
used above once with the forward action ; it is too violent, and 
shakes out the seeds, clover, and finer leaves. A slow back- 
action is getting more and more into vogue ; and the Leeds 
decision is a true echo of the opinion of intelligent men both 
among makers and purchasers. A quiet-lifting reverse-action, 
which just moves the hay to give free access for the sun and 
wind, is all that is needed in a good machine after the tedding 
has been fairly done. On very heavy crops a two-horse machine 
is desirable, which may either work with double shafts or with 
an extra wheel and pole — the latter being an exceptional arrange- 
ment,* though easier for the horses. For crops under 2 tons per 
acre, if not of coarse, tangled material, an implement of the 
common size is sufficient. The roller in front, for preventing 
the lodgment of grass, is a decided improvement, which may 
well be styled " humanity for the horse." 
Scarcely second in importance for extensive crops is the horse- 
rake. Even where it is not employed for windrowing, there is 
a great saving of labour by dispensing with hand-rakes for clear- 
ing the ground. Supposing that you have three full sets of 
waggons or carts loading together according to the old system, 
with a pair of pitchers and one loader — all able and willing — to 
each cart or waggon, you require nine hands for raking after, 
in order to keep the work well together. Of these, six must be 
able-bodied men, and the remainder stout lads. This is on the 
supposition that, previous to the passage of the carts, the space 
between the rows has not been raked. By the use of a good horse- 
rake these nine hands — or twelve, if needful — are dispensed with. 
Nor is this all ; for as the pitchers have not to wait for each 
raker to unburden his drag, the waggon or cart is loaded one- 
fourth sooner than would otherwise be the case. These men's 
services are therefore available for the rick or for pitching, or for 
any other duty. One man following with the horse-rake will 
keep well up with the work, and give it a better finish. A 
single-horse cart, with one man to pitch, a lad to load, and an- 
other to rake after, speedily clears up what the horse-rake has 
collected. 
There is an advantage in this plan which must not be over- 
* See Mr. Pertwee's letter, p. 55. 
