444J H AY a rick is advanced above the" eaves, ' and begins to become narrow, Mr, Tori directs the cloth to bs taken down, by unhooking one end of the ridge-pole, and letting it down by means of a rope; after which die other is to be unhooked, &c. in a similar manner. The cloth may be suffered to rest upon the sides of the rick, but, in case of high winds, it will be requisite tr fasten it with ropes. In creeling the stacks, great caution is necessary that the hay be not put together before it is per- fectly dry ; in which case it not ■infrequently happens that whole - are suddenly reduced to To prevent such accidents, a chimney or funnel is usually made in the centre of the stack, but it then becomes necessary to fi rm adverts beneath the stack, by digging three or four trenches ; co- vering them with boards or sticks ; and exposing their apertures in every direction to the wind, in order to ensure continual ventila- tion. As the creeling of funnels in stacks is not universally adopted, it is of consequence to ascertain the degree of heat which the stacked bay bas.acqufred, lest it should at any time take fire. One of the easiest methods is that pursued by Mr. Ducket, and which consists simply in thrusting a scaffold-bolt, ' or some long iron-bolt into the hay rick, ami then introducing a gun, or ram-rod, furnished with a strong worm, and screwing out a sample, by which be not only discovi rs the
- .1 . Iso tin i olour oi die hayj
arid ii thi itack require air, he per- .( ral parts w ith si- milar holes, which thus answer • r< ry purj os< ol'a ventilating iun- K AY In T>ancadure, bams have, within these iew years, been erected for the preservation of hay, whence they are denominated liOij-l-urus. Theyare built upon pillars, and co- vered with slates. Sometime s they are provided with floors boarded with planks, loosely placed, per- forated with .holes, and lying hol- low for a certain space above the ground, for the purpose of admit- ting a free circulation of air be- neath. These buildings are cheap, useful, and very convenient in bad weather : they afford such advan- tages in the preservation of hay, as will in a short time amply repay the expenee of ereftinc,- them. Having nlreadv pointed out the necessity as well as the utility of giv- ing salt to cattle, we shall here only remark, that the most intelligent farmers sprinkle the salt while the stack is raising, alternately between each layer of hay, in the proportion of 1 cwt. of salt to / or 8 tons of hay. Every species of cattle will prefer inferior food thus prepared, to the finest hay in its raw state : for the salt assimilating with the juices of the hav, prevents too great a fermentation, and imparts a supe- rior flavour. Farther, the salting of hay-ricks effectually secures them from becoming over-heated, or mil- dewed ; so that the hay may be put together, without the least danger of its taking fire, in a much greener state than would otherwise be safe. An excellent apparatus for se- curing hay and corn-stacks, has i)i i ii contrived by Sir Joseph BANKS; but, as an adequate idea of it cannot be conveyed without the aid of an engraving, we refer the reader to the loth vol. of Annah of tericulture, where its description is illustrated by a plate. A p;i»
