354 THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 



and I never met with a cradler whom I could not follow 

 around a ten-acre field, all day, keep close to him, and 

 do the raking and binding in a neat and workmanlike 

 manner, and help shock the sheaves after the grain 

 was all cut. 



I do not record these facts to boast of what I have 

 done, but simply to show the superior skill that was ex- 

 ercised when I was a young man, when compared with 

 what we now perceive among those who rake and bind 

 grain. In order to labor at this kind of work econom- 

 ically and profitably, a man must understand how to 

 take advantage of every circumstance. Raking and 

 binding grain is a part of harvesting that should be 

 neatly performed. If a man binds poorly, or does not 

 rake clean, or makes a great many false motions which 

 occupy time, consume his strength, but do not further 

 his labor, he is an unprofitable hand, and should be 

 taught the first principles of raking and binding skil- 

 fully and expeditiously. 



The Size of the Gavels. 



The importance of making the sheaves as nearly of 

 a uniform size as is practicable, should be frequently 

 impressed on the mind of every man and boy who 

 binds grain, or who only rakes gavels. If the sheaves 

 are to be stacked, it is far more important that the 

 gavels should be of a uniform size, than if they are to 

 be stored in a barn. For this reason, care should be 

 exercised when grain is being cut down with a reaper, 

 to make the gavels — neither too large nor too small — ■ 

 but of a fair size. It is exceedingly inconvenient for a 

 stacker to make a good stack of sheaves of various 

 sizes, as there will be holes where the small sheaves are 



