CHAP. II. RENNIE'S MASTER ANDREW MEIKLE. 



109 



Such was the improving state of affairs in East Lothian 

 when Andrew Meikle began business at Houston Mill. 

 There were as yet very few mills in the district ; but his 

 reputation as a mechanic and his skill in millwork were 

 such, that he was usually employed on any new erection 

 of the sort, travelling also into the adjoining counties of 

 Edinburgh and Berwick to repair or fit up mills. Being 

 an ingenious and thoughtful man, he eagerly turned his 

 attention to the improvement of agricultural machinery, 

 more especially of that connected with the thrashing, win- 

 nowing, dressing, and grinding of grain. Thus, as early 

 as the year 1768, we find him taking out a patent one 

 of the very first taken out by any Scotch mechanic 

 for a new machine contrived by him for dressing and 

 cleansing corn. 1 It was a combination of the riddle 

 and fanners ; and though of no great novelty, it showed 

 the direction in which his inventive faculties were thus 

 early at work. But Meikle' s most important invention 

 was made at a considerably later period of his life ; and 

 in the interval he devoted himself to the ordinary busi- 

 ness of his humble calling as a country miller and mill- 

 wright. 



Nothing caused so much loss and vexation to the 

 farmer in former times as the operation of separating the 

 corn from the straw. In some countries it was trodden 

 out by cattle, as in the old Scriptural times ; hence the 

 proverb, " Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth 

 out the corn." Sledges or trail-carts were also used 

 for the same purpose ; but the most common instrument 

 employed was the flail. By either of these methods, 

 however, the process of thrashing was slowly performed, 

 whilst a considerable portion of the grain was damaged 

 or lost. Many attempts had been made before Meikle' s 



1 Patent No. 896. The name of 

 Robert Mackell (employed with James 

 Watt in the survey of the " ditch 

 canal " through Perthshire see Life 



of Smeaton) was associated with that 

 of Meikle in this patent ; Mackell pro- 

 bably finding the money, and Meikle 

 the brains. 



