Report on the Trials of Implements at Reading. 
665 
was cleared for the purpose of providing the Society with hay 
for these trials. But, independently of this late'i feeding, the 
nature of the soil and ^the character of the herbage differed 
considerably. In some places a soft woolly grass lay close to 
the ground, in others a considerable proportion of sharp sedgy 
grass was found. Here the grass was only a few inches high, 
there the greater portion was 18 to 24 inches high, while 
numerous plants of Festuca elatior ran up to more than 6 feet 
in length.* Thus the crop of hay varied in the estimation 
of the Judges from about 10 cvvts. to 50 cwts. per acre. 
For the purpose of the trials Messrs. Samuelson and Co. lent 
six of their Mowing Machines (three of " the Gem " pattern, 
No. 3803, and three of the " Atlas " pattern, No. 3804 in the 
Implement Catalogue of the Reading Show). Messrs. Nicholson 
and Son also lent four of their Hay-makers (patterns 1a and 2, 
Catalogue Nos. 3413 and 3414), and as many Horse-rakes, 
pattern 4r(No. 3404). Mr. Champion, manager of the Reading 
Sewage Farm, provided a number of horses and a large staff of 
men, and during the whole time of the hay-making gave every sort 
of assistance. Mr. Sanday, one of the Judges, brought with him 
thirteen good men, all well used to making hay in the Yorkshire 
dales. These men, vigorous and lusty fellows, several of them 
members of Captain Sanday 's Volunteer corps, were an in- 
valuable help so long as they could stay. They worked together 
under the superintendence of Mr. Matthew Brown with a thorough 
good will, and when they had to leave they were parted with 
with much regret. Unfortunately they had their home engage- 
ments, some of them their own hay-fields, and long before the 
Reading hay was got up they had to return home. Their way of 
hay-making being very different to that practised in the Southern 
counties, a short description of it may not be out of place here. 
Until the hay had to be pitched up on to the stack they never used 
a fork, a hand-rake sufficed for every purpose. Following the 
mowing machine, they raised the swathes by' a quick, sharp 
action of the rake, which was held nearly perpendicularly. 
Advancing in echelon at a rapid pace, they left the hay half 
turned, half erect, in such a position that the air blew freely 
through it. Afterwards small foot-cocks were formed by the 
rake and foot. When these had to be shaken out, the cock was 
gathered up in the arms and lightly scattered all over the land 
by the hand. Then, when the hay was to be stacked, wind-rows 
were made by the rake. Mr. Sanday had also sent some hay- 
sweeps and sledges, such as are used in the north in place of 
* One stem of this grass, wbich was selected for examination and identification 
by ]Mr. Carrutliers, the Consulting Botanist to the Society, measured 6 feet 
11 J inches. 
