198 AGRICULTURE. 



statement, that no family ties existed in Britain, and that 

 the connubial arrangements were analogous to those of the 

 poultry-yard and sheep-fold. The case of agricultural 

 implements is still stronger. Pliny states that the 

 Romans, ignorant themselves of any other mode of sepa- 

 rating flour from bran than a common sieve, found in Gaul 

 a dressing-machine on the modern principle of a brush 

 working in the inside of a porous bag, and brought it into 

 use in Italy. We have already named the machine for 

 reaping corn, which was so effective that, on many farms 

 in Gaul, it superseded every other mode of reaping. We 

 must recall to our readers what this machine performed. 

 With no other aid than that of being kept in motion by a 

 bullock, it collected the ears of the standing corn, ,cut 

 them off, and dropped them into a chest which was part of 

 the machine. Nothing of the sort is shown to have existed 

 in civilized Egypt. In that country, as well as in Italy, 

 the system of reaping the ears only, leaving the straw to 

 be mowed by a subsequent operation, was in great favour ; 

 but the work was performed by hand. We believe that 

 modern mechanists have failed in every attempt to make a 

 satisfactory reaping-machine ; and among the vast and 

 almost speculative variety of implements which grace our 

 agricultural shows, we are not aware that one which has 

 professed to accomplish this operation has of late found a 

 place.* The single fact, that the north-western nations 

 made fermented liquor from grain, may not indicate any 

 high degree of civilization ; but the statement, that, by the 

 skilful application of one product of their brewing in the 

 hindred art of baking, they enjoyed lighter bread than 

 was known to the luxurious Romans, is not without signi- 

 ficance. 



In these cursory remarks we have confined ourselves 



* This was practically true in 1850, the date of the author's state- 

 ment ; but in 1852 reaping-machines of good promise, though still im- 

 perfect, were introduced from America, and some English ones were 

 revived which bid fair to become permanent implements. EDITOR. 



