OF HARVESTING GRAIN. 373 



Near Alloa, they have invented cast-iron pillars for 

 stacks, (an engraving of which is annexed), which seems 

 to be an useful invention where stone cannot be had. 

 These pillars are two and a half feet long, and the round 

 cape or bonnet at the top, as well as the foundation, is one 

 foot in diameter. After levelling the ground intended for 

 the stack, so that all the seven pillars may stand plumb or 

 perpendicular, and level on the top, they are placed on the 

 level surface, and require neither building nor flag. Being 

 placed in this way, they can be removed with very little 

 trouble or expence. Vermin have also no way of getting 

 up cast-iron pillars of the above description ; and neither 

 rats nor mice have been found in any stack properly stand- 

 ing upon cast-iron pillars. The price of seven pillars is 

 60s. and the frame, which is made of the very coarsest of 

 timber, may be valued, (including workmanship and nails), 

 at 8 s. ; so that one stack costs 58 s.* 



There is another invention, which I believe is peculiar 

 to Scotland, called bosses, the nature of which the annexed 

 engraving will explain. These, with cast-iron pillars, are 

 admirably calculated for harvesting beans in wet seasons. 

 The process is thus described. A triangle is first erected 

 on the middle of the frame, which forms a boss of about 

 three feet wide ; railing must be nailed across the boss so 

 close as to preserve the sheaves from falling into it; but 



Communication from Mr John Lain;;, overseer at Tullibody. I 

 was informed by the late Mr George Culley, that on his side of the 

 Tweed, they prefer oblong stacks to round ones, because they can add 

 one eke or leet (as they are provincially called) to another, always to be 

 set east to west, for he has seen them blow over, when set north to south. 

 He was also of opinion, that oblong frames are simpler made, and 

 cheaper-timbered, than round ones. But they do not seem to be so woll 

 calculated for exposed situations. 



