42 INDUSTRY 



WHEAT HARVESTING. 



J. F. STEWARD. 



CHAPTER I. When comes the beginning of the end 



WE HAVE been told, "Ye cannot of barbarism in a nation, then industrial 

 live by bread alone," which is no doubt progress germinates, and in proportion 

 true, but aside from the use of animal as barbarism has decreased, the efforts 

 flesh as food, bread in some form has for improvements in methods adapted to 

 played the greatest part in sustaining reduce human labor have been success- 

 mankind, ful. The cloud that cast its shadow over 



There have been found, on every con- Europe during the so-called dark ages, 



tinent and every island of the globe, rude practically suppressed all efforts, and it 



stone implements that tell, by form only, is only since then that the energies di- 



of their possible use. We read the story rected to mechanical progress have had a 



of pre-historic relics largely by compari- fair field. 



son with modern things, and hence judge Following the reaping hook, not many 

 that the crescent-shaped flint implements, centuries ago, came the scythe for mow- 

 serrated upon their inner edge, to be ing hay. It was but an enlarged reaping 

 seen in the British Museum and else- hook, so planned as to call into action 

 where, may have been used by trie sav- the entire physical system, however, in- 

 ages as reaping hooks. stead of the mere right arm, and with it 



The natural habitat of wheat must a man was able to lay in swath many 



necessarily remain a matter of dispute, times more grass than had been accom- 



for history cannot tell us of the time plished by any previous implement. In 



when the wild grain began to be culti- America at the beginning of this cen- 



vated by the savages, whose traditions tury, the scythe had been modified so as 



are silent, nor when it was introduced to adapt it to the cutting of grain, and 



into the various countries. with it the straw was laid in a neat swath 



The first harvest scenes depicted are by the man who swung it, ready to be 

 found upon the stones of ancient Egypt, raked and bound by another. This, how- 

 representing slaves with reaping hooks, ever, was nothing more than an imple- 

 at their tasks, scenes cut there before the ment. 



time of Moses long before the exodus. We read that machines were attempted 

 In the ruins of Egypt bronze reaping before the beginning of the present cen- 

 hooks have been found, differing little tury and are told by Pliny and others of 

 from those now used for trimming lawn a box-like cart pushed by an ox between 

 nooks. In the sediment of Lake Neu- rearwardly extending thills, and having 

 chatel, in Switzerland, where have been a comb at front, adapted to pull the heads 

 discovered the remains of an ancient and from the standing grain. A man walk- 

 forgotten people, whom we name merely ing beside with a hoe-like instrument 

 "the Lake Dwellers," wheat and other scraped the heads into the box. It is no 

 grains have been found, and also reap- marvel that this implement, made by the 

 ing hooks of bronze; and from the bogs Gauls as early as A. D. I, did not come 

 of the Scandinavian countries, where, in into general use. 



conformity with religious rites, were We also read that a machine was at- 



thrown prized articles, upon the death of tempted in Hungary during the latter 



their owners, sickles have been taken. part of the eighteenth century, and that 



From the time of bronze in Egypt, to prizes were offered in England for a 



the centuries following the dark ages, the reaping machine. It is safe for us to 



reaping hook was probably the only im- consider, however, the efforts of Mr. 



plement used in the harvest. Gladstone, of England, who, in 1806, pro- 



