Hints for the approaching Harvest. 59 
the field, and put small cross bars or rods, from stake to stake, so 
as to bear the stems up; and after this the corn may be mowed. 
But in the case of a fine, even, upright crop, whether of wheat 
or other grain, there can be uo hesitation in preferring the 
scythe and pole, it properly used, to the sickle. 
Aiter the mower has passed on, two or more women or boys, 
commonly women, follow, whose business it is gently and care- 
fully to spread the corn that has been mowed, much in the same 
way that flax or hemp is spread, in even regular layers. When 
properly dried, a third operation preparatory to binding is per- 
formed by two other persons, commonly women, one of whom 
carries two wands or rods, about four feet in length, the other 
one rod only. The person carrying the two rods, thrusts them, 
one in each hand, under the layer of corn which lies spread out 
on the ground; the person with the single wand, at the same 
time standing opposite to the other, puts the single wand under 
the layer, directly midway between the two opposite wands. ‘Then 
the hands are raised, whilst the points of the rods or wands re- 
main on the ground, and thus the corn slides, or is shoved to- 
gether, in heaps large enough for binding. If the crop is thin, 
the gatherings must begin the wider apart, or two gatherings 
may be united, and great attention during this operation is paid 
to collecting any scattered or straggling stems. The same ope- 
ration may be performed with a long-toothed rake; but the corn 
is shaken much less when the wands are used. 
The binders follow those who have collected the heaps: and 
it is to be particularly noted, that the Swiss do not use the fresh 
eut corn for bands, but make them at home in the barns, of 
straw, at some convenient time in advance. When wanted for 
use, they are carted to the field, and distributed along the rows. 
The time spent in knotting the bands in the fields is thus saved, 
and the loss of grain from twisting the bands or rubbing against 
other sheaves in carrying home is avoided. 
The advantages derived from this method, and the division of 
labour, will be obvious to any person who has once seen the per- 
fect practice; and I do not think there is any exaggeration in 
stating, that with the same hands, a crop may by such means be 
saved in half the time. But I am inclined to go further, and ex- 
press my conviction, that the crop may be saved in half the time 
with even fewer hands than the sickle requires. Much however 
will certainly depend on the dexterity and willingness of the peo- 
ple employed; but the mere experiment of the scythe and pole 
may be tried without any expense or difficulty. 
In describing this method as Swiss, it is necessary to add, that 
it is by no means general throughout Switzerland, but confined 
at present to particular districts: after being once introduced, 
) H 2 however, 
