370 OF HARVESTING GRAIN. 



On the expence of reaping, Mr Brown of Markle ob- 

 serves, that the above estimate seems defective, as it does 

 not include the maintenance of reapers in bad weather, 

 (which often amounts to a considerable sum), nor the ex- 

 pence of salt for seasoning their porridge, and fuel for 

 cooking it, nor any thing on account of blankets in which 

 the reapers sleep, together with the wages and victuals of 

 the overseer who attends upon them ; all which articles 

 will not a little increase MrBlaikie's estimate, even admit- 

 ting that three reapers are capable of cutting, through 

 the whole harvest, an English acre per day, which can 

 only be the case in very favourable seasons, or when the 

 crop is light, and below a medium. In short, the reaping 

 process, taking every expence into consideration, cannot 

 be duly and sufficiently executed, in the more improved 

 districts of the kingdom, where wheat is extensively cul- 

 tivated, and the crops are weighty, under from fifteen to 

 eighteen shillings per English acre; and when it is well 

 done at either of these rates, the farmer may be satisfied. 



In order to train up reapers or shearers, an intelligent 

 farmer, Mr Mitchell of Balquharn, puts four or five, ac- 

 cording to their ability, on a, separate ridge, and gives 

 them, as an awkward squad, a sum in proportion to three 

 on a common ridge. At the same time, it is, in general, a 

 good rule, to have as few reapers as possible on a ridge, 

 when they understand their business, for the more there 

 are, the less work will be clone. The lazy and idle, as Mr 

 John Shirreff remarks, will take every opportunity of sa- 

 ving themselves, and it will be difficult to ascertain who 

 is to blame. 



Attentive farmers take particular care to cut the crop 

 very low; for by high cutting, besides the unavoidable 

 waste, a great deal of manure is lost. By attending to this, 

 and converting the straw into dung at a proper season, a 



