REAPING. 161 



parcels of the straw together at the ends, 

 taking care that the ears are not damaged by 

 the knot. These sheaves are generally set up 

 on the butts, for the sake of drying with more 

 ease. 



The harvest, I will suppose, is general now ; 

 and we have one hundred acres down. We 

 have been a good deal interrupted by showery 

 weather; but I do not think the wheat is 

 materially damaged. Our carting, however, 

 has been delayed ; for wheat housed or stack- 

 ed wet, spoils fast. 



Pitching of wheat, that is, heaving up the 

 sheaves on a long fork into the wagon, is very 

 hard work. He who receives and adjusts it, 

 is not fond of an incautious hand to pitch ; for 

 if the fork be thrust forward, instead of being 

 withdrawn, it is apt to wound the face of him 

 11 O 



