Chap. IX. Of Wheat. 107 



Thread is the. Thread of Life during the Winter (if 

 not planted early), fo ihe longer the Thread is, the 

 more Danger will there be of the Worms (a). 



'Tis a neceffary Caution to beware of the Rooks 

 (b), juft as the Wheat begins to peep; for before 



(a) Becaufe the Worms can more eafily find a Thread, that 

 extends by its Length to live or fix Inches Depth, than one which 

 reaches but One Inch ; and befides, the Worms in Winter do not 

 inhabit very near the Surface of the Ground* and therefore alfo 

 mifs the fhort Threads, and meet with the long ones. 



(b) 'Tis true, that Wheat which is planted early enough for 

 its Grain to be unfit for the Rooks, before the Corn that is left 

 on the Ground at Harveft is either all eaten by them, or by Swine, 

 or elfe grow'd, plowed in, or otherwife fpoiled, is in no Danger : 

 but as this fometimes happens foon after Harveft, the Time of 

 which is uncertain, a timely Care is neceffary. 



Many are the Contrivances to fright the Rooks ; viz. To dig 

 an Hole in the Ground, and itick Feathers therein ; to tear a Rook 

 to Pieces, and lay them en divers Parts of the Field : This is fome- 

 times effectual ; but Kites or other Vermin foon carry away thofe 

 Pieces. Hanging up of dead Rooks is of little Ufe; for the 

 living will dig up the Wheat under the dead ones. A Gun is alfo 

 of great Ufe for the Purpofe ; but unlefs the Field in Time of 

 Danger be conftantly attended the Rooks will at one Time or 

 other of the Day do their Work, and you may attend often, and 

 yet to no Purpofe; for they will do great Damage in your Abfence. 



The only Remedy that I have found infallible is a Keeper (a 

 Boy may ferve very well) to attend from Morning until Night; 

 when he fees Rooks either flying over the Field, or alighted in 

 it, he halloos, and throws up his Hat, or a dead Rook, into the 

 Air ; upon which they immediately go off; and 'tis feldom that 

 any one will alight there : They, finding there is no Ren 1 for them, 

 feek other Places for their Prey, wherein they can feed more 

 undifturbed. 



This was the Expedient I made ufe of for preferving my pre- 

 fent Crop : It fucceeded fo well, that in Sixfcore Acres, I believe 

 there is not Two-pence Damage done by the Rooks; but I had 

 two Boys (one at Four-pence, and the other at Three-pence a 

 Day) to attend them ; becaufe my Wheat is on Two Sides of my 

 Farm ; the whole Expence was about Twenty Shillings. The 

 Damage I received by Rooks the lall Year in a Field of Seventeen 

 Acres, was more than would have, in this manner, preferved my 

 whole Crops for Twenty Years running. I wifh T could as eafily 

 defend my Wheat againfl Sheep, which are to me a more perni- 

 cious Vermin than the Rooks, 



you 



