130 NOTES OK FIELDS AND CATTLE. 



is no mowing before it required : it is to advance 

 into the crop, and cut away at once right through, 

 encountering on its return journey what had been 

 pressed down by hoof and wheel in its advance. 

 " Are you ready, sir ? " (I had mounted the driving- 

 seat myself.) — "Yes, let go the horses' heads, but 

 just walk alongside for a moment till we see how it 

 answers." Off ! drop — down goes the cutting-bar ; 

 but, in a moment, drag — tear — stand — stop — the 

 near mare half rearing from her vain exertion, and 

 the machine most decidedly, emphatically stuck ! 

 Behind us there is half-a-foot's breadth, not cut, but 

 absolutely torn up, as it were, from the roots in 

 handfuls, by the vengeful steel fingers projecting 

 from the bar to protect the knives. " What can this 

 be, sir ? " — " I'm sure I don't know ; there is some- 

 thing wrong, clearly. It must answer, rightly 

 handled. It has answered elsewhere ; and what 

 others have done by fair means, I don't see why we 

 should not do. Let us look." 



By dint of coaxing and scolding, and tugging at 

 the wheel, we manage to make the horses, who clearly 

 don't half like it, put the implement back from its 

 entanglement. We lift the bar, then, above the 

 grass, and move a yard back — it is easily done now — 

 from the place. The knife flashes to and fro, working 

 admirably, and no mistake. " What can it be ? Let 

 us look at the knife, sir." And the man stepped 

 within the frame to inspect the cutter. "Gently, 

 there, you'll have your fingers off," and I raised a 

 handle. " There, now it's out of gear." — " It must 

 be the knife, sir; it's quite dull." "Would your 



