THATCHING HAY-STACKS. 149 



stacks are thatched in England. It is a great 

 preventive against rot and mould. The heating 

 and settling having taken place, so as to render 

 it safe to house in the stack, persons, whose 

 business it is, are employed for this purpose. 

 The roof being formed, or topped-up to a suf- 

 ficient height, with any inferiour sort of hay, the 

 thatcher and his yelmer go to work. Having 

 prepared pegs and rods of split hazel, for pin- 

 ning and binding down their work, the yelmer 

 gets his straw in a heap, and splashes it pretty 

 liberally with water. He then forms it into 

 small lengthy bundles with his hands, and with 

 such art, that these bundles shall frequently be 

 longer than the straws of which they are com- 

 posed, by being drawn out at each end. The 

 thatcher then mounts his ladder; and, being 

 supplied with these bundles, or yelms, as fast 

 as he needs them, he bends each double near 



