Of Dressing or Winnowing Grain. 359 



scale, are sometimes provided with a second pair, by which 

 the cleaning of the grain, is rendered so complete, as to re- 

 quire little or no dressing afterwards. From the inequality 

 of motion, however, necessarily attendant on so violent an 

 operation as that of thrashing, and the additional strength 

 required, which is severe on horses, when they are employed, 

 the second pair of fanners is now generally laid aside ; the 

 judicious husbandman, who wishes to secure at market, a 

 character for well-dressed grain, finding it more for his in- 

 terest, to give the final dressing to his grain, in a deliberate 

 manner, by hand-fanners ( a 7 ). 



By these machines, with the aid of riddles attached to 

 them, all dirt, seeds of weeds, chaff, and other refuse, are 

 separated or blown away, and the grain parted into divi- 

 sions according to its quality, by which it is rendered in- 

 trinsically more valuable than if the good and the inferior 

 were mixed together ; in the same manner as a fleece of 

 wool, fetches a much higher price, when broken or sorted 

 by the wool-stapler. 



The thorough dressing of grain, and making the whole 

 stock correspond with the sample produced at market, are 

 important objects for a farmer to attend to. In this way, 

 all disputes with purchasers are avoided, and the grain 

 fetches its full value. One or two per cent, of bad grain 

 left in the stock, will often lessen the price from five to ten 

 per cent, when the market happens to be dull ; whereas the 

 imperfect grain, if dressed out, and given to the farmer's 

 horses, or, if not sold separately, otherwise used at home, 

 would be got rid of to more advantage. 



SECT. XXII. Improving the Quality of Grain and Flour. 



WHEN wheat has been injured during a bad harvest, it 

 ought to be put into small stacks, in which state it will dry 

 much more quickly, and be sooner rendered fit for grinding 

 into flour. If large stacks are used, bosses, or triangular 

 frames, ought to be employed. If stacked in a damp con- 

 dition, it should rarely be thrashed earlier than the summer 

 after it had been harvested, when its condition will be great- 

 ly improved. 



Wheat, if not in good condition, derives much benefit from 

 kiln drying ; but it should not be ground, (unless in cases of 

 necessity), until some time after it has undergone that ope- 



