22 NOTES. 



blane, in Scotland, which displays much ingenuity ; but it seems to be brought 

 to still greater perfection, by the Rev. Mr Peter Bell of Forfarshire. 



184 A great improvement has been made in the form of these cast-iron pil- 

 lars. They ought to be cast in two pieces, the head separate from ,the rest. It 

 is thus of a cheaper construction ; and if the head is bent inwards, the access of 

 vermin up the pillar, becomes impracticable. 



1 85 Particular care should be taken, not to leave ladders, or other articles 

 leaning against the stacks, for the vermin will climb up them. 



186 When frames or bosses are placed in the centre of stacks, either small 

 frames, or bunches of brush-wood, should be put in at two or three places, 

 about six or eight feet from the ground, and reaching from the outside, to the 

 centre of the stack, so as to admit air, and create ventilation. 



187 Husbandry of Scotland, vol. i. p. 79. Every friend to merit must re- 

 joice to hear, that the inventor of so important a machine, was rendered com- 

 fortable in his old age, and enabled to provide for his family after his death, by 

 the voluntary donations of his grateful countrymen. 



188 The advantage of using oxen, as the best animal power, can hardly be 

 doubted, provided the machines are very highly calculated. 



189 A man and boy, with three horses, move from one farm to another, hire 

 themselves with their machines, for twenty shillings a-day, and do their busi- 

 ness well and very clean, without damaging the straw. The hirer or farmer 

 keeps both men and horses. Nearly two loads of wheat are thrashed per day, 

 the load being 40 bushels, and the whole charge sixpence per bushel. 



190 This plan is the most likely to be adopted in foreign countries. 



191 See an instance of this in the Kent Report, p. 59, where the bakers of 

 Deal and Dover, were thus immediately supplied with flour, which otherwise 

 might not have been practicable. 



1 92 The thrashing-mill has been objected to, as diminishing the field for la- 

 bour. But those who are thus deprived of work, might be much more advan- 

 tageously employed in making the farm roads. 



193 This process is called in Somerset, " Ear- Pitching." The implements 

 are simple, and the process not difficult to execute. After a sufficient number 

 of ears are accumulated upon the floor, the work of thrashing is executed by 

 the common flail. By this process, the grain raised on the proposed parochial 

 dairy farms ought to be thrashed. 



194 Husbandry of Scotland, vol. ii. Appendix, No. 6. 



1 95 This useful machine, it is said, originated in China, and, along with 

 that for making pot-barley, was introduced into Scotland from Holland, about 

 a century ago, by Mr James Meikle, father of Mr Andrew Meikle, inventor 

 of the thrashing-mill. Mr Fletcher of Salton sent him to Holland for that 

 purpose. See Farmer's Magazine, vol. i. p. 158. 



196 General Report of Scotland, vol. i. p. 252. 



197 It may be proper to state, that they are variously made up, and are in 

 some places very defectively put together, for mowing smoothly, and with care. 

 In some parts of Bedfordshire, they excel in this particular. 



19S There is a particular description of this machine, invented by John 

 Middleton, Esq. in the Transactions of the Society of Arts, vol. xiv. p. 1 90. 



199 See Annals of Agriculture, vol. xxix. p. 148 ; the common carters in 

 Lanarkshire, frequently put from 30 to 40 cwt. and sometimes even more 

 than 50 cwt. upon a single- horse cart. They carry from 30 to 40 cwt. of coals, 

 for the Glasgow Gas Company, conveying them 18 miles, where much of the 

 road is steep. The stones for the new Hamilton Palace are brought 9 miles, 

 and frequently from 35 to 45 cwt. on one cart. Those brought from a nearer 

 quarry, though part of the road is steep, have in many cases more than 50 cwt. 

 put on a single horse, besides the weight of the cart, which is from 7 to 9 cwt. 

 more. 



200 Indeed, Dr Anderson maintains, that the same number of horses, with 



