REA 



REA 



vmg of time is considered, as well as 

 the saving of expense, there seems 

 to be no doubt that on an extensive 

 farm the scythe is far preferable to 

 the sickle for cutting every kind of 

 grain. Barley and oats are usually 

 mown and carried williout tyinjj them 

 into sheaves ; but this is a slovenly 

 and wasteful practice ; by means of 

 the cradle-scythe they may be mown 

 so regularly as to be readily tied into 

 sheaves ; and the additional expense 

 will be fully compensated by the sa- 

 ving of all the grain which, being on 

 the outside of the stack, is lost by 

 the depredations of small birds. 



" Beans are usually reaped by the 

 sickle, the stems being too strong 

 and too wide apart to admit of the 

 scythe. Where it can be done con- 

 veniently, without the soil adhering 

 too much to the roots, it is better to 

 pull them up and tie them in bun- 

 dles with straw bands, or twine, which 

 will be found both a convenient and 

 economical method. 



" Pease are generally reaped by 

 means of two large hooks similar to 

 the fagging hooks, one of which is 

 held iu each hand ; and the stems, 

 which are generally much interwo- 

 ven, are partly cut and partly torn 

 from the roots, and so rolled up into 

 a small bundle laid loose, in order that 



it may dry. Tares are reaped in the 

 same way^ 



" There have been many attempts 

 to introduce machinery for reaping. 

 Some of the inventions were inge- 

 nious and promised well, but none, 

 when put to the test, answered the 

 expectations formed. The various 

 inchnalions of the straws prevent any 

 regular mode of cutting. The prin- 

 ciple of most reaping machines is that 

 of a revolving edge to cut the straw, 

 and a drum to lay the cut grain down 

 regularly. Whenever the grain is 

 laid or lodged, it is evident that no 

 machine can collect straws lying in 

 every imaginable direction and inter- 

 woven with each other. Till some 

 better invention appears, the scythe 

 will probably be found the cheapest 

 and most expeditious instrument for 

 reaping." — (W. L. Rhum.) 



REAPING HOOK. See Reaping. 



REAPING MACHINE. Several 

 patents have been taken for machines 

 to cut grass and grain crops. One of 

 these, which promised much, is the 

 invention of ^Ir. Smith, of Deanston, 

 and has been modified and patented 

 by l\Ir. Wilson in the United States. 

 The original machine is figured be- 

 low. They have given satisfaction 

 on smooth meadow lands. 



I\Ir. Hussey's reaping machine is 



an admirable and durable implement. I from several committees, and is used 

 Ithasmet with considerable applause I in Delaware, Virginia, and other 



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