How to Build a Haystack.

Manawatu Herald, 14 December 1897, Page 3

How to Build a Haystack.

Hay-making is now in progress and the following method of building a stack is given by a practica l South Australian farmer :— '• There is more art in stacking than one would imagine. It is always, a pleasure to look at a well-bnilt stack; it requires practice to build one. With all the stacks 1 have built I have had very little spoilt by the rain. The method I adopt in building is to straighten out the hay that is intended for the sides by standing with my legs apart and raking with a fork the, hay towards me, forming a sort of a bundle. Although this is not as quick as putting it on as it comes from the wiiggou, it saves time after, as the stack does not require so much puling or raking. After one gels used to the bundling it does not take much more time. I usually btart building at one end of the stack and work around it forming a layer after which I scatter more hay into ihe centre, always keeping it higher than the sides. When I get sufficient in the centre so that it is sloping downwards over the sides I start putting on another layer and so on till I reach the eaves when I generally form the centre of ths stack steeper so that the layers will have a good downward tendency in order to carry the rain i?ff. I do not beleve in making stacks too high, because there is extra labour and time in pitching the hay up I preft-r making the stacks longer than higher. A pood way to finish the stack if it is not going to stand any length of time is to drive stakes all round the eaves and cover over the etack with loose straw,"