1909.] 



Thatching. 



469 



Making the Staples. — The yealm of straw is then gathered 

 in the hands and a smali quantity is pulled out at one end, 

 turned down, and wound round the top of the yealm, forming 

 what is known as a "staple." The projection thus formed at 

 the head of the staple prevents it from being withdrawn once 

 it has been inserted in the turves. When prepared in this 

 manner, the staples are bound together a dozen at a time 

 and stored in a dry place until required for use. 



Preparation of Roof for Thatch (First Method). — The 

 joists are fixed on to the roof in the usual manner, wooden 

 runners being nailed on at about six inches apart ; these run- 

 ners are about three inches broad. The turves are placed 

 upon the roof, working from the bottom and proceeding in 

 an upward direction as with slates. When cutting the turves, 

 a curved cutting-iron must be used, so as to obtain turves 

 thick in the centre but gradually tapering off towards the 

 sides. Thus, when laid on the roof, the overlapping edges 

 will be so arranged as to preserve the uniform level, and the 

 roof will be of one thickness throughout. 



Laying the Staples. — A thatching iron now becomes neces- 

 sary. This implement is slightly forked at the apex in order 

 to catch the twisted head of the staple of straw. In this man- 

 ner the latter is pushed through the turf, and is prevented 

 from coming out again by the "head" of wound straw. The 

 work of laying the staples must be commenced at the eaves, 

 and should proceed upwards until the ridge is reached ; at 

 this juncture a layer of turves is placed over the straw in 

 order to form a "bolster" or well-defined ridge, and the 

 thatching is then complete. 



Preparing the Roof for Thatching (Second Method). — 

 When preparing the roof for the second method of thatching, 

 namely, sewing the straw directly to the roof, the joists are 

 laid, the wooden runners nailed on, and the straw prepared 

 in the same way. The straw is then sewn directly to the 

 wooden runners, commencing at the bottom and working 

 upwards to the ridge. Sewing twine is used for this pur- 

 pose, and the work will be found quite a simple operation 

 after a little practice has been obtained. In order to finish 

 off the ridge, turves may here again be requisitioned as in 

 the former method, or, as an alternative, two pieces of wood 



