104- INSTRUMENTS OF HUSBANDRY. 



its being perfectly adequate to threshing the crops of small 

 farmers; and it is more likely to be adopted in foreign 

 countries than the larger machines. 



Upon the whole, after the experienced advantage of 

 powerful threshing-mills on large farms, they have now be- 

 come, not only most useful, but almost indispensably neces- 

 sary ; and farmers who have been accustomed to the dis- 

 patch, security, and economy, which they contribute to the 

 management of extensive concerns, would find themselves 

 reduced to most unpleasant inconvenience, should any cir- 

 cumstances oblige them to have again recourse to the flail. 



6. MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. The other implements 

 used in Scotland are not numerous, consisting principally 

 of bean and turnip drills, (drill-machines for corn are not 

 frequent), stone, wood, or cast-metal rollers,* and scrapers, 

 or shovel-ploughs, none of which are cither expensive or 

 complicated. A horse-rake for gathering corn stubbles af- 

 ter the scythe, has lately been introduced into some parts 

 of Scotland, and has given satisfaction. 



* One of my correspondents has tried a roller made of Aberdeenshire 

 granite, with which he is much pleased. Every person, he observes, 

 knows how imperfectly the large wooden roller acts in the pulverizing 

 process, and in many districts it has generally given place to the smaller 

 metal roller. But the granite roller is greatly superior; it is cheaper; it 

 will last for years ; and is so weighty, that it may be made of as small a 

 diameter as is necessary. It is said by those who have tried rollers, that 

 they should not be less than twelve inches in diameter, nor more than 

 thirty, because, if too small, they are apt to push the hard clods before 

 them, and if too large, to force the clods into the soil, or to rest upon 

 them instead of breaking them. Some recommend hollow cast-iron roll- 

 ers ; but in that case, it would be advisable to have a machine for con- 

 veying them from one field to another, to prevent their breaking. It 

 might be set on low wheels, and an inclined plane of stout plank used 

 for drawing it by a horse, or two, if necessary. 



