Harvesting Corn. 
217 
Those who wish to read more on the subject may refer to — 
Sinclair's 'Code of Agriculture,' under the head of Harvest. 
* British Husbandry,' vol. ii. p. 100. 
Stephens's ' Book of the Farm,' Harvest, &c. 
'Communications to the Board of Asjriculturc,' vol. iv. ji. 16G. 
Johnson's ' Farmer's Almanac,' vol. i., &c. 
Morton's ' Farmer's Almanac,' vol. i., &c. 
Loudon's ' Encyclopa!dia of Agriculture,' "Wheat, Harvesting, <Src. 
Young's ' Annals of Agriculture,' Index, Harvest. 
' Koyal Agricultural Society's Journal,' vol. i., pp. 15, 447 ; vol. vi., p. 13 ; 
ol. viii., p. 75 ; vol. ix., p. 501 ; vol. xiii. p. 233 ; vol. xiv. p. 305. 
Leeds, Isi Jicne,\%Q>\. 
XI. — On Harvesting Corn. By Peter Love. 
Prize Essay. 
This being one of the most important works on the farm, has 
received much attention in every land and every climate ; the 
variation of climate havins: had more to do in deciding: the course 
pursued than any other consideration. If we commence our sur- 
vey with the northern and western parts of the United Kingdom, 
where the greatest difficulties have to be encountered in conse- 
quence of the wet and changeable seasons there prevalent, we 
find the wary Scotchman and the impetuous Irish under the 
same atmospheric influences adopting the same modes of saving 
their corn. 
In the rainy districts of the West of Scotland the plan of 
"rickling," or hand field-stacking, obtains, partly in consequence 
of the prevailing custom of returning to tillage after the land 
has for three or four years been laid down to pasture. Here 
the first corn crop, which is oats, has generally a large quantity 
of grass amongst it, to save which in good condition is of 
much importance ; they take care, therefore, to cut low, either 
by scythe or hook, while dry, and to bind the sheaves with 
the bands rather near the ears ; these in fine weather are set 
up singly for a day or two ; then they are collected and 
built into small round stacks, rather less in diameter at bottom 
than two lengths of the sheaves, and gradually tapering till 
finished at the top with one sheaf tied close to the butt, and put 
on with the ears down so as to thatch all the ears of those below. 
The builder stands on the ground at first and finishes with a 
short ladder. If the weather is wet and precarious, the corn is 
" rickled " close up to the hook, scythe, or machines ; the use of 
the sickle is almost unknown. Wet never penetrates these little 
stacks, because the sheaves lie elevated at the centre at an angle 
which becomes higher and higher, until the last sheaf placed 
vertically makes a cap for the whole. These " rickles " contain 
