NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



219 



GRASS-SCYTHES. 



Tlie scythe is a very valuable implement, as by its 

 aid one of our most important crops is secured ; and 

 as it is used at the most busy season of the year, it 

 should be of the first quality, and kept in the best 

 condition. In some cases a farmer would better pay 

 the price of a scythe for its use only one day, in 

 order to have a first-rate tool, rather than use a poor 

 one. A good implement not onlj' saves strength, but 

 it makes a great gain by expediting labor. The ton 

 of hay that is left standing in consequence of the 

 slow progress of the mowers, from the use of poor 

 tools, may stand too late, and lose in quality enough 

 to pay for several scythes. 



Of late years, less improvements have been made 

 in the scythe than in most other farm implements. 

 When a boy, we used to admire the workmanship in 

 the construction of the scythe, by which a tool of so 

 much extent was made very neat, light, and fre* 

 qucntly so well tempered as to preserve its firmness, 

 give it a keen edge, and yet avoid breaking or turn- 

 ing against hard substances, unless some luckless 

 wight, who had more strength than judgment, occa- 

 sionally spent the former in bringing his scythe 

 against a gi-anite stone. 



Within a few years past, there have been great im- 

 provements in the manufacture of scythes, by the 

 use of superior machinery, by which the work is both 

 greatly expedited and facilitated. Some improve- 

 ments have also been made in the form of this imple- 



ment. Formerly the scythes were generally made 

 very long, and much ciirving at the heel ; recently, 

 they arc usually made a little shorter, (and of course 

 they are hung out further,) and they are less crooked 

 at the heel, but they have a gentle curve from the 

 heel to the point. This construction makes the 

 scythe lighter, and the labor of using it less, as the 

 mower has better command of the scj'the, particu- 

 larly on rough land. 



A great deal depends on the right use of the scj'the. 

 We have known a man of only moderate strength 

 to mow all day with one of double the strength, and 

 do as much labor. At the close of the day the 

 weaker man would be much less fatigued than the 

 stronger. The mower who is skilful, swings liis 

 scythe gently, and injures it but a trifle if he strikes 

 an impediment, while one who depends more on 

 strength than skill, will strike with all his might 

 against a stone, dulling his scythe so that there is 

 much delay in grinding ; and perhaps by twisting it 

 out of shape, and such rough usage, it is soon worn 

 out, or it becomes misshapen, and its firmness and 

 elasticity are destroyed. 



To mow with ease, the scythe should be swung 

 gently, in a horizontal line, or parallel with the sur- 

 face of the ground, entering the grass nearly on the 

 right of the mower, and leaving it, or cutting the 

 last part nearly on the left ; so that the standing grass 

 in the swath will be nearly in a semicircular form. 



GRAIN-SCYTHE-BUSTI-SCYTHE. 



The grain-scythe is broad, and is peculiarly con- 

 structed for the purpose of cutting grain. With the 

 use of this scythe, in a cradle, one man will cut 

 grain as fast as four men with sickles. 



The bush-scythe is an implement necessary for 



almost every farmer ; though some may be so neat 

 as to have their farms free from bushes. In many 

 cases the gra.'^s-scythe is used to its injury, in cutting 

 up bushes in the field, which should be done by n 

 stouter tool, well adapted for that very purpose. 



