280 Cultivation of Arable Land* Cutting and Haroefling Grain Crops. 



the ftems together at the ear ends, Thefe are moftly afterwards bound up into 

 {heaves of different fizes, according to the nature of the fituation and climate. 



Different machines have been contrived for accompliihing this tedious bufinefs, 

 but \ve believe without being generally applicable tothepurpofe. Mr. Pluncknet 

 has lately conftructcd an implement for this ufe, which is intended to cut not 

 only grain crops but alfo thofe of the grafs kinds. 



The manner of engaging men for the performance of harveft work is very 

 different in different diftricts; infomeit is thecuftom to agree with them by the acre 

 for executing all the different forts of operations which belong to it, fuch as thofe of 

 reaping, or mowing, (hocking, making, and carting to the barn or ftack, as well as 

 fecuringit in them. Butin others this fort of labour is performed by the day, week, 

 or month. In either method the greateft attention is ncceffary from the farmer 

 to fee that the different branches of the work be properly and feafonabiy executed, 

 and that the men ftick clofe to their labour. The expence of this fort of work 

 has lately increafcd in a very confiderable degree, as from four or five to ten or 

 twelve (hillings per acre, and in fome diflrids much marc. 



In the above mentioned mode of cutting and binding the grain, it is rnoftly fet 

 up into what are provincially termed Jlooks, Jlouks, Jhocks t or hattocks t which is 

 accomplimed by fet ting fix, eight, or ten (heaves together, with the tops or ear 

 ends inclining againft each other ; after which the whole is capped, or covered 

 over, by dividing two (heaves quite up to the bands and flipping them over the 

 others, in fuch a manner as that their butt ends may meet in the middle, while the 

 ear ends fpread fully over the upright (heaves, and prcferve them from the wet. 

 Thefe top (heaves, from the manner in which they cover the others, are termed 

 booders. 



In almoft every (ituation, both in the fouthern and the more northerly parts of 

 the kingdom, the wheat and rye crops are however cut by the fickle or the reap 

 ing-hook, as it is fcarcely poflible to cut them with the fcythe without confiderable 

 Jofs. And befides, it is of great advantage, in refpecl to the ftraw, to have the 

 crops bound up into (heaves in a regular manner. Sometimes a hook which is 

 iharpon the edge, but without teeth, is made ufe of; the labourer, in perform 

 ing the bufinefs, hooks up the grain towards him, cutting it very clofe to the 

 ground. This is in fome diftricts termed bagging. 



In the cutting of grain crops, whether by the fey the or the fickle, there is much 

 difference in different places, in the height at which the operation is performed. 

 In fome it is the practice to mow or reap the crops as clofe to the furface of the 



