ADDENDA. NO. 2. 439 



where wheat is cultivated in any considerable quantity, a six- 

 Iiorse power is necessary. 



It is observed by Mr Erskine, that it is a common fundamental 

 error, to make threshing-mills en too economical a plan, and 

 with machinery too slight to undergo any extra fatigue, which 

 usually happens in the beginning of the harvest, when the stra\r 

 and grain are in a raw tough state, and much work is required to 

 be performed in a small space of time. Slight mills give way on 

 this pressure of business, which creates great disappointment, 

 and an actual loss is sustained, probably to a greater amount, 

 even in one season, than would have given the mill a proper de- 

 gree of strength, when it was originally constructed. 



The importance of the threshing-mill cannot be better illus- 

 trated, than by the following extract from Middleton's Report of 

 Middlesex : All the straw which is brought to London is insuf- 



* ficiently threshed to clear it from corn. When wheat is at the 



* highest price, and bread scarcely obtainable, the same incon- 



* siderate waste prevails. Something ought to be done to re- 



* medy this great evil, for at present the labourer will not thresh 



* the corn wholly out of the straw, no, not even tvhen lih family 



* are sitffering for tuant of bread." * The meaning of which is, 

 that even when corn is scarce and dear, the labourer will not 

 make greater exertions to thresh it clean. 



* Middlesex Report, p. 648. 



END OF VOLUMB FIRST. 



EDINBURGH : 

 Printed by Jaines Ballanf.yne & Ce. 



