T H R 



T H K 



rum in 1727. Tliis 18 an alphabetical catalogue, princi- 

 pally founded on the papers of Dr. Thomas Molyneux, or 

 the communications of other people ; nor does it, accord- 

 ing to our judgment, entitle its editor to any fcientific 



rank Brown Prodr. Nov. Holl. v. i, 409. — Clafs and 



order, IvianJiia Di^ynia. Nat. Ord. Holeraceei, Linn. 

 Alripl'ucs., .Kifl". Chenopodf/c, De CaiidoUe, Brown. 



EfT. Ch. Calyx pitclier-fliaped, with an abrupt iimer mar- 

 gin. Petals three, membranous. Stamens oppofite to the 

 petals, inierted into the receptacle. Capfule membranous, 

 imbadded in the pulpy perhianent calyx, Seed folitary, 

 ovate. 



I. T. d'iffufa. Spreading Threlkeldia — Gathered by 

 Mr. Brown on the fouth coaft of New Holland, and in 

 Van Diemen's ifland, growing on the beach. This is a 

 fmall, diffufe, fmooth Jhruh. Leaves alternate, fcmicylin- 

 drical. Flowers axillary, fohtary, feffile, without bradeas. 

 Seed furniflied with albumen, which is embraced by the 

 circularly inverted embryo. Brotun. We have prefumed 

 to take for petals, tliough by no . means pertinacioufly, 

 what Mr. Brown, led by the analogy of the natural order 

 of the plant, confiders as mere fcales belonging to the 

 calyx. 



THRENGI, or Threnges, in our Ancient Cujloms, a 

 denomination given to vafTals, but not thofe of the lowell 

 degree, but fuch as held lands of the chief lord ; other- 

 wife called drengi, or drenches. 



" Quia vero non erant adhuc tempore regis Willielmi 

 miUtes in Anglia, fed threnges ; praecipit rex, ut de eis 

 milites fierent ad defendendam ferram : fecit autem Lanfran- 

 cus threngos fuo milites, &c." Somm. Gavelk. 



The name was impofed by the Conqueror : for when 

 one Edward Sharnbourn, of Norfolk, and others, were 

 ejefted out of their lands, they complained to the Con- 

 queror, infilling that they were always on his fide, and 

 never oppofed him ; which, upon inquiry, he found to 

 be true ; and therefore he commanded that every one 

 fliould be reftored to their lands, and be for ever after 

 called drenches, or threnges. Spelm. Du-Cange. 



THRENODY, Threnodia, formed of Spnvof, mournful, 

 and iiii, Jong, a mournful or funeral fong. 



THRESHER, in Ichthyology, a name fometimes given 

 to the fea-fox. 



Thresher, in Agriculture^ a perfon employed in threfh- 

 ing out grain and other feed crops by means of the flail. 

 See Thrbshing, and Tnv.K%iu^G-Machine. 



THRESHING, the aft of beating out the corn or 

 other produce from grain or other crops. Tlie flail was the 

 implement formerly ufed for threfliing of corn, and which 

 feparated the grain from the llraw and hufks effeftually and 

 expeditioufly ; but which is now become mnch too tedious 

 and expenfive, as well as liable to many other objeftions, 

 and always bruifes a great many feeds, befides leaving many 

 in the ears. It has been attempted to' avoid thcfe inconve- 

 nicncies by proper machines provided with a number of 

 flails, or other parts anfwering the fame purpofe, made 

 to move by the power of water, wind, (learn, or horfes. 

 Of thefe, various forts have been lately invented, and brought 

 to very great perfeftion. See TuKY.snwfS-Machlne. 



Although there are many diff'erent methods made ufe of 

 in feparating the grain from the ear of the corn, that by 

 the flail is the moft general and common. 



Sometimes two perfons tlireih together : and where more 

 than two are employed together, which is fometimes the 

 cafe, there muft be frequent interruptions, and a confequent 

 lofs of time. It is fuggefl.ed alfo, that the tool by which 

 this fort of bufmefs is performed, fliould be well adapted to 



the fizc and ftrcngth of the perfon who ufcs it, for prevent- 

 iag prejudicial fatigue. The bell method of attachiag 

 tlic difterent parts of the implement together, is probably, 

 it is thought, by means of caps and thongs of good tough 

 leather. Iron is, however, fometimes employed. In the 

 execution of the work, when the corn is bound into (heaves, 

 it is ufual for the threfliers to begin at the ear-ends, and 

 proceed regularly to the others ; then turning the flieaves in 

 a quick manner by means of the flail, to proceed in the 

 fame way with the other fide, thus finifliing the work in a 

 quick eafy manner by their becoming loofe and open. 



It is, however, obfcrved by the author of the " Expe- 

 rienced Farmer," that thrcfliing with the flail is uncertain 

 when mofl: carefully performed, for the threflier may beat 

 a long time and not meet with every head, which with the 

 machine it is hardly pofTible to mifs ; and that the grain 

 wafted by the ufe of the flail is certainly great. In ihort, 

 he is of opinion that the corn loft by threfliing with the 

 flail, is more than would pay for thrcihing it by the machine 

 all over the kingdom. 



In fome places it is the praftice to threlh by the meafure 

 of grain, as the bufliel, quarter, &c. while in others it is 

 done by the threave of twenty-four (heaves, and in fome by 

 the day. 



In whatever way the farmer has this fortof bufinefs perform- 

 ed, there is always much ncceflity for his conftant infpeftion, 

 in order to prevent the frauds and impofilions that are too 

 frequently praftifed upon him by the perfons engaged in 

 the execution of it. 



The flail practice, however, from its being fo extremely 

 flow, tedious, and expenfive, and at the fame time requiring 

 a great number of labourers, is perhaps only capable of 

 being had recourfe to with advantage on the fmaller kinds 

 of grain-farms, that are cheaply fituated in regard to the 

 command of workmen, and where the expence of having 

 large machines would be much too great for the quantity of 

 grain which they produce. But even in thefe cafes, if the 

 fmall horfe or hand threfhing engines that are conllruAed 

 on cheap fimple principles, and which occupy but little 

 room, (hould be brought to perform the bufinefs in an 

 eafy, expeditious, and effeftual manner, which feems not 

 improbable from the improvements that have been recently 

 made in this fort of machinery, it will moft probably be to 

 the advantage of fuch farmers to abandon it, as the faving 

 in various ways muft foon repay them the expence of the 

 machine, and at the fame time afford them a confiderable 

 profit. 



It is moreover ftated, that where thre(hing is performed by 

 the flail, expenfive barn-floors, either of the fixed or moveable 

 kind, will conftantly be neceffary ; but that the latter fort may 

 fometimes be capable of being converted to other purpofes, 

 which may render it ufeful m other views and intentions, 

 and thereby leffen the heavy charge of providing them. See 

 THRESitiNG-F/oor. 



It is ftated by the author of " Praftical Agriculture," 

 that the fuperiority of the method by machinery over that 

 of the flail is very confiderable in many other refpefts, be- 

 fides thofe of its executing the work in a much more 

 clean and perfedt manner, more cheaply, and with much 

 greater difpatch, fo as to admit of the farmer being prefent 

 during the procefs in moft cafes. 



It has been further faid, that the flail is a tool which is 

 only fit for the rude or favage (late of a people ; while the 

 threlhing by the machine can be performed at any feafon, 

 as when the weather is wet, and when no other fort of 

 work can be done, efpecially of the out-door kinds ; and it 

 will employ vvomen and children, or boys, as well as other 

 4 C 2 forts 



