EABLY USE OF THE FLAIL. 201 



description of a modern writer. " The chaff and bruised 

 spikes are separated from the grain, by throwing the 

 whole up into the air with wooden shovels when the 

 wind blows moderately. The cleaner grain being depo- 

 sited, together with chopped straw, in a heap by itself, 

 the spikes imperfectly trodden are again submitted to 

 the sledge. After some days, the grain being more per- 

 fectly winnowed and separated from the straw, is thrown 

 again into a large heap called the bydre, where it re- 

 mains to be divided between the landlord and the hus- 

 bandman in the proportions established by agreement." 

 The process of winnowing the wheat from the chaff, of 

 gathering the wheat into the garner, and of burning up 

 the chaff, &c., are well-known images employed by the 

 forerunner of the Messiah, to represent the final separa- 

 tion to be effected between the evil and the good, (Matt, 

 iii. 12 ; Luke iii. 17.) The simple method of winnowing 

 above described, often leaves impurities among wheat, 

 such as sand, small seeds of weeds, &c. From these it 

 appears to have been further cleansed, in Scripture 

 times, by the use of the sieve. " I will sift the house 

 of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a 

 sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth," 

 (Amos ix. 9.) 



Of all the early means of threshing corn, none was so 

 effective or possessed so many advantages as that of 

 threshing by the flail. Until about eighty years ago, 

 no other implement was used in this country, and at 

 the present time the flail is in general use over a great 

 part of Europe. Its chief advantages are its simplicity, 

 the regular employment it gives to labourers during a 

 bad state of weather, and at a season when there is little 

 out-door work to be done, and the convenience of having 

 fresh straw for fodder every day : 



" While wind and rain drive through the half-stripped trees, 

 Fanners and flails go merrily in the barn." 



The sound of the flail is by no means unpleasing, 



