Book IV. 



IMPLEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE. 



373 



Society's Report of December, 1825, is, that by the use of this instrument, as compared with the sickle, 

 in the cutting of wheat, there is a saving, at an average of the different statements given, of 26 per cent. 

 Notwithstanding this circumstance, however, the Hainault scythe has been very little used since in 

 Scotland, partly, no doubt, owing to the difficulty of overcoming established prejudices ; partly, also, 

 because any workman whose frame has been accustomed to use one description of instrument, must begin 

 by undergoing a good deal of bodily suffering and loss of labour before he can so far master another, so 

 very different as the Hainault scythe is from the sickle, as to do the same 

 quantity of work with the one as with the other; but principally, we suspect, 

 because the instrument has, if any, no great advantage over the scythe hook. 

 Young persons alone are to be expected to learn the use of difficult instru- 

 ments, and bring them finally into general reputation. The editor of the 

 Highland Society's Transactions, in peaking of this Report (vol. vii. p. 249.), 

 says that, considering its favourable nature, *' a somewhat different result 

 might have been anticipated than has really occurred. But, although three 

 years have elapsed since these experiments with the Hainault scythe were 

 made, the instrument itself has nowhere come into general use. That it is 

 an important and useful mode of reaping cannot be reasonably disputed ; but 

 we ought not, perhaps, to anticipate any important change in harvest-work 

 until that great era (we hope not very remote) when the acquisition of a 

 horse-machine, applicable to all ordinary circumstances, shall secure our 

 crops, and sweep every prejudice before it." Still, as there will always be 

 small farmers and cottagers who cannot afford to have reaping machines, we 

 think it highly desirable that the Hainault scythe should have further trials, 

 and we earnestly recommend it to our friends in America and Australia. 



2480. The cradle- scythe is variously constructed: sometimes 

 the cradle or receptacle into which the corn is gathered is of net- 

 work {Jig. 226. ), and at other times it consists of woven laths or 

 wicker-work. (See 405.) 



2481. The reaping-hook is a curved blade of steel, fixed in a 

 short wooden handle ; it is of two kinds ; one serrated like a fine 

 saw, which is used in cutting corn by handfuls, and is called a 



sickle hook ; the other smooth and sharp like a scythe, 

 which is used to hack the corn over in the peculiar manner 

 called bagging, and is called a cutting hook. The most 

 improved form (Jig. 227.) has a kneed handle. (/^ 227 



2482. Tke s?nooth reaping-hook, or, as it is called in East Lothian, the scythe-hook, was first introduced 

 into the West and South-west of Scotland, probably from Ireland, and has now spread over most of the 

 liowlands. It is considered much preferable to the common reaping-hook in our best corn counties. (See 

 Farm. Mag., vol. xxiii. p. 55.) Where the crop is very thin and short, it requires some attention to make 

 clean work, and in such cases the teethed hook, or Hutton's improved reaping-hook, may do it better ; 

 but, upon all ordinary good and strong crops, the scythe-hook is by far the better implement, the reaper, 

 with equal ease to himself, cutting down a third or fourth more than with the old teethed hook. The 

 impression of some of the best Scotch farmers is, that a labourer will do as much work with it as with 

 the Hainault scythe, and cut the straw almost if not altogether as close to the ground. 



2483. Hutton's improved reaping-hook is serrated from the point through half its length like a sickle, 

 and the remainder is smooth and sharp. The advantage is, that the straws are not cut in entering the 

 hook, as is the case where the point is of the cutting kind, by which means fewer drop and are lost. With 

 sickles reapers invariably make cleaner work than with the hooks for the above reason ; with hooks 

 the straws are cut with less labour. {Trans. Soc. Arts, vol. xxviii.) 



2484. The hay-knije consists of a straight blade, set at right angles to a short wooden 

 handle ; both of considerable strength. It is used for cutting hay or straw when con- 

 solidated in the rick or stack. An improvement of this instrument has been proposed, 

 which consists in forming the blade like that of a common spade, sharp at the edges, by 

 which the operator will cut downwards instead of obliquely, and not being obliged to 

 stoop, will effect the same work with far less trouble. 



2485. Tlie wool-shears are formed wholly of iron or steel, and worked with one hand. 



2486. The hedge-shears are of different kinds ; that 



called the averruncator is to be preferred for cutting 

 off large shoots, as it makes a clean draw-cut like a 

 knife. Shears, however, are not used in dressing 

 /^ I '"'"" hedges by the best agriculturists. 



^ t^ 2487. The thatching-knife consists of a blade similar 



to that of a scythe, inserted in a wooden handle like 

 that of a reaping-hook. For thatching with reeds, 

 heath, or any rough and rigid thatch, the blade has a 

 handle affixed to each end to enable the operator to 

 work it with both hands. 



2488. The stack-borer consists of two parts, a cut- 

 ting screw or blade (Jig. 228. a), and a drawing 

 screw (b). Both are worked by cross handles in the 

 usual manner (c). In using this instrument, which 

 is of great importance where hay has acquired a dan- 

 gerous degree of heat, first cut away the loose hay 

 where the borer is intended to be applied, therein 

 insert the point of the borer, and by means of the cross 

 handle turn it round till the stack is pierced either 

 quite through, or to a sufficient depth ; then withdraw the cutter, and, by means of the 



Bb 3 



228 



