340 Use of Reajnnfj- Machines, 



I have often exceeded 11. To accomplish this, from 8 to 10 

 women are required to tie and sliock the corn, and one scythe 

 (an inferior hand) to mow off the corners, wliich enables the 

 reaper to continue its work without pulling up at the ends. The 

 price of labour varies in different districts ; with me, last year, 

 the cost of cutting stood thus : — 



£. s. d. 



The man who works the machine 5 



The driver, a boy 2 



An iuferior hand, with scythe 2 6 



Ten women, at Is. 8c/ 16 8 



5 4 3 2 1 



6 



10 



If a field from 2 to 3 furlongs in length, I should recommend 

 2 scythes ; their work is not given away, as the reaper will do 

 its 10 acres, and what these men will do will be in addition. 

 Each scythe will tie up its own work. 



It may appear that to tie an acre of wheat is a great day's 

 work for a woman, especially as in mowing we allow 2 women 

 to a scythe, but with a well-worked tipping-board the sheaves 

 require no gathering, they only need binding, and they are laid 

 so level that you have fewer sheaves to an acre than when mown. 

 Be it also remembered that where there is no gathering there is 

 little scattering, and scarcely anything for the horse-rake to do. 



There is, I am aware, a strong feeling amongst some of 

 those who take an active part in the implement department of 

 the Royal Agricultural Society in favour of the side-delivery. 

 For mowing corn that is to lie upon the swathe, it is absolutely . 

 necessary ; but, for corn that is to be tied up, I prefer the back- 

 delivery, for the reason 1 have given before — that where there is 

 no gathering there is no scattering. 



1 hope to go to work next harvest with two Hussey's stern- 

 deliveries and one Burgess and Key's side-delivery. The 

 mowing of barley by the latter at Mr. Miles's, last year, was very 

 near perfection. 



Note. — I should strongly recommend all parties using reapers to have a 

 spare set of knives read}' for work ; for sliould any accident haii]icn, it is a 

 serious business to have half a dozen hands standing still while damages are 

 repairing. The bar, on which the knives are placed, is the only point where 

 I have had a breakage, 



Westacre, May, 1856. 



