INSTRUMENTS OF HUSBANDRY. 95 



the kiln and suffers no loss; but before the invention of 

 mills, when threshed by the flail, it was so soured, that it 

 was almost unsaleable, and a loss of perhaps 20 per cent. 

 was thereby sustained. 8. It is observed by Mr Kerr, that 

 smut balls are not so apt to be crushed by the threshing- 

 mill as by the flail, and that the grain is consequently less 

 apt to be blackened.* 9. Mr John Shirreff remarks, that by 

 the threshing-mill, the separation of the grain from the 

 straw is not only more complete, than by any other known 

 means, but the separation of the straw from the grain and 

 the chaffi by the rake, and of the chaff and small seeds from, 

 the grain by the fanners and skreens, all driven by the same 

 machinery, are advantages not inferior, perhaps, to the se- 

 paration of the grain from the straw in the first instance. 

 Taking all these circumstances into consideration, and that 

 prior to the invention of threshing-mills, drudgery, it may 

 be said, stared the farmer in the face ; and that, besides 

 heavy losses, it was the source of endless trouble and vexa- 

 tion to every occupier of land, it is not to be wondered at, 

 that the threshing-mill should be considered the most use- 

 ful and profitable instrument belonging to a farm, and that 

 its advantages should be accounted INCALCULABLE. 



Some estimates, however, have been made of the specific 

 advantages to be derived from this invention, which one 

 farmer calculates at the rate of 5 s. per acref on lands un- 

 der crops of grain, whilst others state it 5s. per acre with 

 horse-mills, but at full 10 s. per acre upon the whole lands 

 under crop, when the machine is driven by water, by wind, 

 or by oxen4 Mr Dudgeon, Primrose Hill, from general 

 observation, without entering into minute calculations, is of 



* Berwickshire Report, p. 231. 



f Communication from Mr Charles Alexander of Easter Haprcw. 



t Communication from Mr Wood of Milrig. 



