or cattle ever commit a mistake in chufing between the two *.

Let it be particularly remarked, that, in this manner of making hay, great care must be taken that it be dry when first put into the cocks; for, if it is in the least degree wet at that time, it will turn instantly mouldy, and fit together, fo as to become totally impervious to the air, and will never afterwards

* I have met with feveral gentlemen in Scotland who have complained, that they found it impoffible ever to get their clover hay to look like that they met with in London,-as the leaves were always of a dark tobacco-like colour, and parted from the ftalks with the flightest handling, inftead of being of a dark olive green, and foft and pliable to the touch, and not readily feparable from the ftalks. This difference is entirely occafioned by the winning: For, if clover is allowed to be wetted after it is cut, it will infallibly be brown and brittle; but, if it has been carefully preferved from moisture, and flowly made into hay, it is tough and pliable, and retains its greenness in some degree.

wards become dry, till it is fpread out to the fun. For this reason, if at any time, during a course of good fettled weather, you should begin to cut in the morning, before the dew is off the grafs, keep back the gatherers till the dew is evaporated, allowing that which was first cut to lie till it is dry before it is cocked. In this cafe, you will almoft always find, that the uncut grass will dry fooner than that which has been cut when wet; and, therefore, the gatherers may always begin to put up that which is fresh cut before the other; which will usually require two or three hours to dry after the new cut hay may be cocked.

And if at any time, in cafe of neceffity, you should be obliged to cut your hay before it is dry, the fame rule must be observed, always to allow it to remain in the fwathe till it is quite dry: But, as there is always a great risk of being long in getting it

up1

up, and as it never, in this cafe, wins * fo kindly as if it had been dry cut, the farmer ought to endeavour, if poffible, in all cafes, to cut his hay only when dry, even if it fhould cost him some additional expence to the cutters, by keeping them employed at any other work, or even allowing them to remain idle, if the weather should be variable or rainy.

But if there is a great proportion of clo

ver,

and the weather should chance to be close and calm at the time, it may, on some occafions, be neceffary to open these cocks a little, to admit fome fresh air into them; in which cafe, after they have stood a day or two, it may be of great use to turn these cocks, and open them up a little, which ought to be done in the driest time of the

day;

* By winning hay, is meant the operation by which it brought from the fucculent ftate of grafs to that of a dry fodder.

day; the operator taking that part of each cock which was the top, and with it forming the base of a new one, fo that the part which was most expofed to the air becomes excluded from it, and that which was undermoft comes to be placed upon the top, fo as to make it all dry as equally as poffible.

If the hay has not been damp when it was firft put up, the cock may be immediately finished out at once; but, if it is at all wet, it will be of great ufe to turn over only a little of the top of the cock at first, and, leaving it in that ftate to dry a little, proceed to another, and a third, and fourth, &c. treating each in the fame way; going on in that manner, till you find that the infide of the firft opened cock is fufficiently dried, when it will be proper to return to it, turning over a little more of it, till you come to what is ftill damp, when you

;

leave it and proceed to another, and so on round the whole; always returning afresh, till the cocks are entirely finifhed. This is the best way of faving your hay, if you have been under the neceffity of cutting it while damp; but it is always beft to guard against this inconvenience, if poffible.

Although I am convinced that this method of making hay is, in all cafes, the best that ever I have heard of, yet it is in a more efpecial manner worthy of being recommended to fuch as intend to fave the feed of rye-grafs; as, in that cafe, it is attended with many and great advantages. Every one, who is in the leaft acquainted with this fubject, knows, that this kind of grass is fo very apt to shed its feeds, that, if the hay is allowed to lie in the fwathe till it is dry, a very great proportion of the feed will inevitably be loft by the neceffary handling when it is gathered, however carefully this may be done.