34 On Threshing out Wheat by a Roller, 



should the day before examine his roller, and see that it is 

 in order. Then let him have four rollers, two of them 

 with teeth 8 or 9 inches long, and 3 or 4 inches apart ; 

 and two others with teeth two inches long, and about 2 

 inches apart, and four wooden forks. The large rakes 

 will act on the long, coarse straw ; the smaller ones on 

 such as is fine, and mixes more with the wheat. But it 

 is better to use the rakes with long teeth altogether, than 

 to suffer a careless hand to work with the small rakes. 

 By inattention much of the wheat may be carried off with 

 the straw. 



Thus prepared, an active fellow, or two, should mount 

 the stack ; and cut the bands of the sheaves , and push the 

 wheat off as expeditiously as possible ; and the hands be- 

 low must carry and place it in a circle, about ten or 

 twelve feet wide, round the yard, in the track or path on 

 which the roller is to run, until the whole floor is laid 

 down. Three horses should be then fixed to the rol- 

 ler, and proceed at a pretty good trot. As soon as the 

 horses are set in motion, the scattered wheat from 

 the inside edge of the circle, and on the outside, should 

 be raked up, and thrown upon the floor. I here suppose 

 five hands to be on the yard ; one, a boy, will ride, the 

 other four will place themselves in pairs, and divide the 

 yard by the eye, as equally as posible ; and imme- 

 diately begin to turn the wheat, with the forks, from bot- 

 tom to top, keeping it as near as may be in its circle. 

 One of each pair should take the inside of the circle, the 

 other the outside, and work in conjunction. Each pair 

 should travel round the floor, as they turn the wheat, 

 keeping a proper distance, and taking care to avoid the 

 horses, and by no means to stop them ; and so continue 



