368 SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. Part 11. 



2432. The oniy essential scientific instrument, is the common level, which may be 

 wanted to level drains, and water furrows, adjust the surface of roads, &c. 



Sect. III. Utensils used in Agriculture. 



2433. The principal agricultural utensils are sieves, baskets, corn- measures, and 

 sacks. 



2434. Sieves are textures of basket work, wire, gut, or hair stretched on a broad wooden 

 hoop. Sometimes also they are formed of skins or plate iron pierced with holes, and so 

 stretched. They are used for separating corn , or other seeds from dust or other extra- 

 neous matters. There are different varieties for wheat, beans, oats, rape seed, &c. 



2435. The corn-screen (Jig. 263.), is a frame filled in with 263 

 wires, so set as to aHow dust and seeds smaller than com to 

 pass through it. It is chiefly used in granaries to free corn 

 from the weevil. 



2436. Baskets are made of wicker work of different 

 shapes, but generally forming some section of a globose 

 figure : they vary much in size ; those in most general use 

 in agriculture, are from twenty inches to two feet diameter, 

 and are used for carrying roots, chaff, cut straw, &c. from one place to another in the 

 farmery. 264 



2437. The seed carrier, or seed basket, (Jig. 264. ) is sometimes made of 

 thin veneers of wood, bent into an irregular oval with a hollow to fit the ' 

 seedsman's side, and a strap to pass over his head, and rest on his shoulder. 

 In some places, a linen bag of a shape adapted to be borne by the right 

 shoulder, and suspend the seed under the left arm, is used for the same 

 purpose. 



2438. The feeding tub or trough, may be of any shape and size; it is used for giving 

 short or liquid food to swine, sheep, and other live stock. 



2439. Thej)ail is used for carrying water^ or other liquid food. 



2440. The turnip tray, is a shallow moveable trough, or box, used to prevent waste 

 when sheef) are fed upon turnips. 



2441. Tfie com bin, or corn chest, for containing oats or other grain for horses, may 

 be an oblong box of any convenient size. Sometimes it is placed in the loft over the 

 stable, and the corn is drawn out by a hopper below ; but for a farm stable this is need- 

 less trouble : there it is commonly placed in the broad passage behind the horses, or in 

 any spare corner. It should be stout, and have good hinges, and a safe lock and key. 



2442. The Jlexible tube for relieving cattle that are hoven or choaked, consists of a 

 strong leathern tube about four feet long and about half an inch in diameter, with a 

 leaden nozzle pierced with holes at the insertion end. It should be kept in every far- 

 mery. There is a similar one, on a smaller scale, for sheep, which should be kept by all 

 shepherds. 



2443. Corn measures consist of the lippie, peck, and bushel, with the strike or rolling 

 pin to pass over the surface, and determine their fulness. The local measures of every 

 country are numerous ; the Winchester bushel is the standard corn measure of England 

 and Ireland; and the Linlithgow boll of Scotland. (See Index, article Weights and 

 Measures.) 



2444. Corn sacks, or bags, are strong hempen bags, calculated to hold four bushels ; 

 and in Scotland four firlots. 



2445. Other utensils, as those of tlie dairy, poultry, and cyder-house, will be described 

 in their appropriate places. 



2446. The essential agricultural utensils are the sieve, basket, seed carrier, tub, pail, 

 corn chest, flexible tube, corn measure, and corn sack. 



Sect. IV. Hand Machines used in Agriculture. 



2447. Agricultural hand machines are generally portable; some are exclusively put 

 in action by man, as the wheel-barrow ; and others, as the straw-cutter, sometimes by 

 horses, water, or other powers. 



2448. The common ladder is the simplest of manual machines, and is in constant use 

 for forming and thatching ricks, and other purposes ; with or without the use of tressels 

 and scaffolding. 265 



2449. The wheel-barrow is of three kinds; the 

 new ground work barrow (fig. 265. ) used in mov- 

 ing earth or stones ; the dung barrow ( fig. 266.) for 

 the farm yard; and the corn barrow (fig. 267.) for 

 conveying corn from the stack-yard to the barn. 

 The body of the latter (b), may be made to separate 

 from the frame and wheel, and by means of levers (a) to be carried like the hand-barroM'. 



