300 Cultivation of Arable Land. Preferring of Grain* 



on the threflung-floor of the bam, or before the fails of a machine, though pra&ifed 

 in fome diftricts, are fo imperfect and troublefome as to deferve no attention from 

 the enlightened agricultor. 



Where the corn is cleaned in the firft of the above methods, there is in moft 

 of the improved machines of the winnowing kind a fcreen through which the grain 

 pafTes after it has been cleaned from the chaffy fubftances, and by which the fmall 

 feeds of all forts, as well as other foreign matters, are readily feparated from the 

 corn. This procefs is particularly neceffary with wheat and barley. And if thefe 

 grains be cleaned without the winnowing machine, it will of courfe be requifite to 

 Jet them through a corn-fcreen afterwards, in order to remove any fmall feeds they 

 may contain, as well as the ova of different forts of infects, by which the produc 

 tion of the weevil, moth, beetle, &c. is prevented and the depredations which 

 they commit, while in their vermicular Mate, on different forts of grain, effectually 

 obviated. Implements of this nature may be had feparately, but the bufmefs is 

 much more conveniently and cheaply executed at once by the winnowing 

 machine. 



Preferring of Grain. After the grain has been thus rendered clean, it is in a pro 

 per condition either to be fent to the market, or for being laid up in a ftate of pre- 

 fervation. As the prevention of all forts of corn from being affected by the dif 

 ferent caufes that hav a tendency to injure it,when laid up for the purpofe of keep 

 ing, depends upon its being put by in a perfectly dry condition, and on its being 

 afterwards preferved in that fituation, in order to effect thefe objects in the molt 

 perfect manner, it is of the greatefl importance to keep the corn, from the firft pe 

 riod of its being threlhed out of the ftraw, as much as pcflible from coming in 

 contact with earth, ftone, or other forts of floors that are placed near to or upon 

 the ground,as they have conftantly much difpofition to communicate moifture,and 

 by that means greatly injure the grain. And another method is by prevent 

 ing the entrance of the atmofpheric air as much as can be done, whenever it is in 

 a heavy damp ftate, by being too much loaded with humidity ; as in this way, from 

 the vaft extent of furface that is expofed to its influence, it is fubject to be very 

 much damaged, the large quantity of moifture thus imparted to the corn bringing 

 on a fort of mouldinefs, which is attended with a mufty difagreeable fmell that 

 leffens its value in a very cor.fiderable degree, as well as prevents its keeping. 



The chief remedy in the firft cafe, is by cautiouily avoiding the too common 

 practice of permitting the grain to remain upon the threfhing-floors.efpecially thofe 

 of the earth or ftone kinds, after it has been thremed out, before bring cleaned from 

 the chaff; or, after being cleaned, by depoliting it upon them either in a loofe ftate 



