102 INSTRUMENTS OF HUSBANDRY. 



Mr Scott at Ormiston has constructed an improvement, 

 by which that resistance, which is so great and oppressive 

 to the horses, when wheat, or corn of strong growth is 

 threshed, can be easily removed or lessened, by the foot of 

 the person who feeds the machine, pressing upon a bar or 

 treddle, which has the instant effect of raising the upper 

 roller in such a degree, as to allow the bottom of the sheaf 

 to escape with mure ease, and thereby lessening the draught 

 of the horses. This plan has been put in practice by Mr 

 Park of Windymains, and may answer, when the person 

 who feeds the machine is careful and attentive. The ex- 

 pence is only about fifteen shillings.* 



Mr George Mitchell, at Bishop Mill, near Elgin, in 

 Moray, has discovered a mode for dressing barley in a su- 

 pi nor manner, by means of cheap machinery annexed to 

 the threshing-mill, an account of which will be given in the 

 Appendix. 



Some farmers think it an improvement, to yoke their 

 horses in pairs, in the same manner as they do the plough ; 

 but this is attended with a loss of the power applied, the 

 one horse being compelled to travel over more ground than 

 the other. 



Great diversity of opinion is entertained, regarding the 

 kind of threshing-mill that is easiest wrought, some con- 

 tending for two movements, some for three, and others for 

 four. Mr Rennie of Phantassie recommends a mode of 

 trial, which he thinks would set that matter to rest, that of 

 having three or four models of different movements, but 

 of equal power, to be constructed by an able mechanic, 

 and these to be wrought by means of weights, which he 



* For a plate and description of this improvement, see the Farmer'* 

 Magazine, No. XLVJI. 



