WINNOWING. 



209 



wheel acting upon a pinion. By this means a current 

 of air is produced within the machine. The threshed 

 corn is put into a sort of box or hopper at the top, 

 from whence it falls gradually through the current 

 of air produced by the rotating boards, and the chaff 

 is blown out at the tail of the machine. The grain is 

 further scattered and exposed to the air by passing 

 through one or more sieves of wire, which are in con- 

 stant lateral motion. The chaff being thus completely 

 separated, the heavy grain falls down, and is collected 

 beneath. The winnowing-machine is generally set with 

 its tail at the barn-door, that the chaff may be blown 

 outwards from the barn. Women are often employed 

 to " feed " the* hopper with corn, and to collect the 

 winnowed grain, while a man works the wheel which 

 sets the fanners in motion. The riddling of the corn 

 goes on at the same time ; for that 

 which is collected from the machine 

 is carried to two women, who stand, 

 each with a riddle in her hand, at the 

 spot in the barn where the new heap of 

 corn is to be made. The refuse corn, 

 stones, dirt, &c. which will not pass 

 the riddle, are thrown into a bushel 

 placed to receive them. When corn is 

 dressed clean, there should be nothing 

 seen but good grains. If any earth or 

 small seeds be still found mixed with 

 the corn, it must be riddled through 

 a sieve. The clean corn is shovelled 

 up into a compact heap by means of 

 the corn-scoop, while the grain scat- 

 tered to a distance is swept up with 

 a besom. The chaff is, in most cases, 

 looked upon as useless, and carried to 

 the dunghill; and the refuse corn is 

 examined, and sometimes passed a second time through 

 the fanners, though oftener put away as food for poultry. 



CORN-SCOOP. 



