WEST DEVONSHIRE. 169 



ground, with the one hand; while the 

 other hand and arm Jirike it, at the fame 

 inflant, about the middle of the ftraw 5 

 thus driving it, upright, againll the {land- 

 ing corn : the workman taking a fweep, , 

 round as much as will form a fheaf, and 

 colleding the whole together, in the cen- 

 ter, into a fort of leaning cone ; fmally 

 flriking the hook under its bafe, to difen- 

 I gage it entirely from the foil ; but fliil 

 fupporting it, with the left or loofe arm 

 and the leg, until the hook be put beneath 

 it, to lift it, horizontally, to the band. 



In variation of this method, I have feen 

 the hewer force his way up one fide of a 

 narrow ridge, againft the wind, and back 

 on the other fide j thus collecting half a 

 flieaf ; and then fetching another half flieaf 

 in the fame manner. 



This practice is not peculiar to the Weil 

 of England : it has long been in ufe, in 

 the Southern Counties of fCent and Surrey : 

 where, however, it is conlidered as a 

 llovenly and bad practice. If a crop o£ 

 wheat be free from weeds, and ftand well 

 upon its legs, this method of cutting is 



exceditious 



