466 



Thatching. 



[SEPT., 



is carried to the rick, and the straw so conveyed to the 

 thatcher. There are others who draw the straw dry and lay 

 it on a board, after which it is damped, trimmed, and 

 straightened out, being finally separated into yealms, which 

 are bound up in straw ropes. 



Preparation of Stack. — In commencing to thatch a rick, 

 the thatcher first prepares it by filling up any hollows with 

 loose straw and levelling down humps in the roof in order 

 to secure a firm, even surface. As the rick will probably 

 have settled down, the top will require bolstering up with a 

 "dummy," or tight-tied bundle of straw. Having now made 

 the roof firm and even, the straw can be laid on. 



Windy, gusty weather is very unsuited for the thatching 

 of ricks, as the thatch is being constantly disturbed and 

 ruffled up by each succeeding gust of wind. Perhaps the 

 most opportune time for commencing this work is when the 

 weather is somewhat damp, for the straw is none the worse 

 for being slightly wetted. Moreover, under such conditions, 

 the work of carrying in the corn is generally at a standstill, 

 and so there is ample leisure for completing the thatching 

 of the ricks which have already been erected. Of course, it 

 would be highly improper to thatch in very wet weather, as 

 the topmost sheaves would then be covered up while still 

 wet with rain. 



How to Commence Thatching. — The ladder should be so 

 placed that it lies flat on the rick; the work should then com- 

 mence at the bottom, or eaves, the straw being meanwhile 

 packed as firmly and securely as possible. When the top is 

 reached, the straw is laid well up to form a point, thus afford- 

 ing a good pitch for the water to run off. In general prac- 

 tice, the eave-line of the stack is laid with a double thickness 

 of straw, in order to provide a projecting eave which will 

 shoot the water off the stack without injuring the sides. The 

 actual operation of laying the yealms of straw upon the stack 

 is quite simple, and very much resembles the slating of a 

 roof. It must be borne in mind, however, that great im- 

 portance attaches to the insertion of the thin ends of the 

 yealms under the roof of the stack ; this makes them doubly 

 secure, and ensures an even and permanent thatch. The 

 pegs which are driven in the thatch must be inserted in a 



