THE WHEAT CULTUKI8T. 



347 



along satisfactorily, without a good grain cradle ; and it 

 is important for a laborer to know what constitutes a 

 good cradle, how to put it in good order, and how to use 

 it, so as to cut grain and lay it in a swath in a neat and 

 workmanlike manner. 



The most correct form of a cradle scythe is a point 

 which should be thoroughly understood and appreciated, 

 whether one can obtain a scythe of the desired form 

 or not. 



Fig. 54.— The best form of Cradle Scythe. 



A very straight scythe is quite as objectionable as one 

 that has too much curvature. When it is too straight 

 on the cutting edge, it will cut too squarely across the 

 standing straws ; whereas the cut should be made in a 

 drawing or sliding manner. If the scythe be straight 

 on the edge, the fingers must of necessity be correspond- 

 ingly straight. The illustration herewith given. Fig. 

 54, represents a cradle scythe of a good form. It Avill 

 be seen that the cutting edge from a to 5, about one 

 foot in length, is a part of the arc of one circle ; and the 

 other part, from h to is the arc of another circle of the 

 same size, but in a different position. 



It may be seen by measuring, that these circles are 

 about ten feet in diameter, and that the distance from 



in the dotted line, to ^, when a scythe is four feet 

 long, is about two and a half inches. A cradle scythe 

 of this shape works well, if it is properly hung on the 

 snath, and the cutting edge kept in order. 



