Haymaking Extraordinary.

Evening Star, Issue 7428, 25 January 1888, Page 3

Haymaking Extraordinary.

The ' Agricultural Gazette' recently published the following communication from " W. of VV." :—" I saw an extract from the ' Gazette' of what an Essex farmer had done by way of haymaking—that is, in having cleared 200 acres at a cost of 7s per acre, including beer. As a practical haymakerlknew at once that this could only be done by merely cutting the grass, turning it, and pulling it in with horse-rakes. My experience teaches me that this is falso economy. The only true and right way of making good hay for the London market is by turning the grass over after it is cut, shaking it out, wind-rowing, and cocking it. This makes uniformity, and it retains its weight, color, and aroma. I have been a large haygrower for the last thirty years, and, as I have done this year what I never did before, I think it is worthy of record. I started cutting wifh three machines on 20th June, and continued without intermission (excepting half a day for Jubilee) until the finish, and, owing to the extraordinary season, we were enabled to complete the cutting and carting of 392 acres in eighteen consecutive working days, thanks to the glorious sunshine. The whole of this quantity, except about thirty acres, was turned and shaken out with the small handfork (not with hay-makers), wind-rowed, and cocked, and I have secured 760 loads of the best hay it is possible to get together. I used about 200 gal of home-brewed beer, and paid L 250 in wages ; but this included carting fifty-five loads of hay and straw to London. Having a large private connection, I disposed of nearly the whole of my growth. lam thus bound to give this business the same attontion in hay time as another time. To carry out the whole of my business requires a team, during the season, of twenty horses and three ponios. The whole of the men behaved admirably, and worked as only Englishmen can work, and with but little grumbling. In the last week we cleared in two days ninety-ono acres—viz., forty-three acres on the Monday and fortyeight acres to finish up on the Saturday. This being something uncommon, each man was promised Is extra, and by all working together and making extra effort we succeeded in accomplishing what we had laid out. The land is very divided, and is six miles asunder from point to point. I feel very proud of having accomplished this great feat, and am almost open to challenge the world in having secured the quantity and quality po efficiently in the given time—that is, under the supervision of ono master and ono gang of men. Cheap haymaking generally means hot stack*. lam happy to say I have nothing of the kind."