The Portland daily press., 1876-07-27
The Hay Crop and its Harvesting,
10 the Editor Of the Press:
I'm every rank, or great or small,
Ills industry supports us all"

III every rank, or great or small,
lis industry supports us all.'
AT this season of the year most of the COM
N unications from the country, and large part
OF the Eeditorial matter of the city papers are
descriptive of some hotel, mountain resort wa
tering place. or the way to get there. True,
there are Business Notes." but not a word
about haying, although the entire agricultural
population of the state, men, women and chill
dren have been engaged for the last three weeks
of excessive hot weather in securing the hay
crop, which is Of more value than all the other
farm crops combined. In 1870 the hay crop of
Maine was one million and fifty-three thousand
tons, representing cash value of more than
ten millions of dollars
The papers express much anxiety for the peo-
pie of the cities, who are exposed to the sun in
going to and from their business; advising
them to use every precaution against sunstroke,
such as the shade of an umbrella, and green
leaves in the hat,-not seeming to understand
that the most common cause of the attack
called sunstroke is getting ga brick in the hat"
The farmers labor constantly in the glare of the
sun in the open field, from its rising until is
setting, with the mercury above 80 degrees in
the shade for six hours of the middle of the
day-very uncomfortable, tits true-but they
have no fears of sunstroke. 1t is impossible to
be exact in laying out days work in haying,
owing to the many contingencies. With the
modern mowers large quantity of grass is cut
in the cool OF the morning to favor the horses.
When the grass is drying up it is desirable to
cut it as fast as possible, and often too much is
nnUn6 Of &c all A. =
be put up to secure it from the dew; and all
that was cut the day before must be got in, no
matter how hot and sultry the weather is The
getting in" and slowing away under the roof,
on which the sun has been blazing all day is
the most disagreeable part of haying, and in
spite OF ourselves will cause hard thoughts of
our first parents who, by transgression, for
feited their right to live where the cattle brows.
ed the entire year, and where there was no need
of haying.. We are made feelingly sensible of
the severity of the sentence of punishment
I'm the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread"
With the oppressive heat of the present month
how much more comfortable would have been
their primitive style of dress, and how much
more we could have enjoyed July with nothing
to do but seek the best shade-alas, what fall
Much time and talent has been spent by the
poets in describing the scene
''Down in yonder meadow,
Among the green hay.'
But if one of these afternoons spent in the hay
field don't take the sentiment out of the most
enthusiastic cf them, will ensure him good
wages during the next hay season.
There is something pleasing in looking across
the valley and watching the different crews on
two or three farms in sight-all intent on their
business, no laggards. Some fellow has got the
"old man" on to the load and is determined to
give him the hay faster than he can stow it.
Others are following the horse-rake, "raking
after or putting up" Presently distant
thunder is heard, and all hands look to the west
and see there just above the horizon, white
capped cloud, indicating a shower. New direc-
tions are at once given, an1 all hands do their
utmost to secure the hay against the wet. Those
housing the hay put on larger loads, and that
last moved must be put up in compact cocks
to shed rain. The cloud gets nearer and dark
er, the thunder is incessant The women at
the house have been watching the scene and
come out to lend what aid they can. 1t be-
comes apparent that the team will hardly have
time to reach the barn, the horses and oxen
show fright and cringe at every fash of light
ming. The last load they drew up the hill at a
snail's pace, but now they take larger one at
gallop, being as anxious to reach the shelter
as the driver. The clouds roll over each other,
driven onward by the rushing wind The air
is full of dust and leaves, the trees bend to the
blast or lose their branches, every window is
secured from the expected hailstones. The
storm bursts over the valley, and the simulta-
neous flash and crash tells that the bolt has de-
scended dangerously near, and all are still but
The storm.
There is nothing in nature more awfully
grand than the darkened air. the lightning and
the deafenipg roar of a thunder storm, and
nothing that SO forcibly reminds the thoughtful
that they stand in the presence of their Crea-
tor. every dark cloud has silver lining
After cooling the air and refreshing the parch-
ed earth, the storm passes over and the rainbow
reminds us of the promise, ''And it shall come
to pass when I bring cloud over the earth
that the bow shall be seen in the cloud" Such
is the sunshine and sbadow-the romance and
reality of haying. w. G.
Windham, July 25th.