396 THE MUSTARD CROP. 



out in the course of three or four days. This may be effected 

 either by the flail or by the usual machine at the home- 

 stead, whither the crop is carried in carts or waggons, as 

 the case may be, with a cloth spread over the bottom to 

 catch the seed, which is always shelled out on the road. 

 In Essex, where mustard is largely grown for its seeds, 

 the ancient practice of treading it out by means of cattle 

 is still generally resorted to. A convenient part of the 

 field is selected, carefully levelled, and beaten down, and 

 covered by a cloth of suitable dimensions. On this cloth 

 the bundles of mustard are laid, a team of horses driven 

 round in a circle effecting the separating process, by 

 crushing the stems and pods, which are from time to 

 time removed and replaced by fresh bundles, the seed 

 being collected on the cloth at bottom. Of course, fine 

 weather is necessary for this operation, and, indeed, it is a 

 matter of great importance to harvest the mustard alto- 

 gether without rain ; as mucli of the value of the mustard 

 seed in the market depends upon its colour and bright- 

 ness, which is sure to be more or less affected by expo- 

 sure in the field to wet. 



If, instead of separating the seed on the field, the crop 

 is intended to be carried home and stacked, it is usual to 

 cut it before it has quite ripened. The stacks or "pies/' as 

 they are called in some districts (Cambridgeshire, Lincoln- 

 shire), should be of small dimensions, with high conical 

 roofs, the bundles being laid so as to incline outwards, in 

 order to guard against any rain penetrating the mass. The 

 crop is usually ready for harvest at the end of August or 

 the beginning of September ; the yield and the price both 

 are subject to great variations, which, of course, have 

 their effect upon its cultivation. Instances are on record 

 where a waggon-load of seed taken to the market fetched 

 for its owner 500; and again, there is no lack of 

 instances where its market price per bushel did not equal 



