Ch. XIV.] ON HARVEST. " 191 



harvest labour at three shillings per day, the comparative expense of the 

 two modes will stand thus : — 



s. d. 

 6 

 3 



2 men with the Flemish scythe, at 3s, per day . . 



1 man to bind . . . . . . 



The labour of a young person to make bands, and otherwise assist 



4 reapers with the common sickle, at 3s. per day. • . 



1 man can easily bind for six reapers, hence only two-thirds of a 



day's labour will be required, or . . . 



Difference in favour of the Hainault scythe . . 3 6 



It thus appears that only about the same amount of work can be performed 

 with it than with the common scythe ; but the labour with that implement 

 is much more severe, and the wages are consequently higher : it may 

 therefore be considered a useful improvement both in point of economy and 

 expedition, particularly in the cutting down of weighty crops. Although 

 continually used by women in Flanders, it is however much heavier than the 

 sickle, and cannot be employed to advantage where stones or rugged sub- 

 stances abound upon the surface of the ground ; and these, added to the 

 weightier objections ever made against innovations upon the common 

 modes of performing farming operations, have hitherto prevented it from 

 being brought into general use. 



The tool, as here described, is used in both hands : — 



Fig. 1 represents the blade of the scythe, which is 21 inches long from A to B, and 2i 

 inches broad ; the back is a quarter of an inch thick. It is fixed into the handle by. 

 wedges at C C. The length of the handle from B to D is 17 inches ; and from thence 

 to E it is 5i inches. The part marked E F is 4 inches long by 3i wide, serving as a 

 balance to help the workman, and at G is a small leathern strap in which he inserts his 

 forefinirer. 



Ficr. 2 is called the hook. The workman uses it with his left hand to gather in the 

 quantity of corn he intends to cut ; to support it when he is cutting, and to lay it 

 afterwards behind him. This, which is of wood, has a handle of a square shape, 3J feet 

 long from A to B ; with an iron hook about 10 inches long from A to C fastened to 

 the end of it. The small opening above B is for the purpose of inserting the blade, so 

 as to prevent the workman from being hurt when carrying the implement. 



