Farming of Devonshire. 
465 
cultivation of these soils will be more effectual during the autumn 
than in any other season. I would also recommend the autumn 
cultivation for the lighter land district, as thereby a crop of spring 
feed might be more frequently obtained before the root-crops 
than is the practice at the present time. 
Preparation for Corn- crops, — Wheat. — As the land is cleared of 
the roots it is ploughed up, and wheat sown when the weather 
and other circumstances will allow. It is in general sown 
broadcast, for the land being hilly is a great hinderance to the 
use of the drill. The crop receives little further attention until 
the period of harvest arrives. It is commonly bagged, which is 
(with the exception of mowing) the best mode of obtaining a 
short stubble. The practice of collecting corn into a number of 
small stacks to dry and harden before it is finally housed, or, as 
it is provincially termed, "airish mow," has been generally 
abandoned. The best method of making " the mow" is to place 
the sheaves with their ears inwards, and, as every fresh layer is 
added, to diminish the circle until it forms a conical heap, con- 
taining from 1 to 1^ loads of corn. A small quantity of straw or 
reed is required for capping, and it is then perfectly secure from 
the weather. It is useful in wet harvests, for the crop may thus 
be preserved from the rain as soon as it is moderately dry, whereas 
it would materially injure the sample to put it into an ordinary 
stack. This practice was no doubt originally adopted on account 
of this county being particularly subject to rain during wet seasons. 
The quality of the wheat grown in the neighbourhood of 
Exeter is very good, and always commands a full price in the 
market. The average produce is estimated at 24 bushels per 
acre. A large proportion of the wheat- straw is made into reed 
for thatching ; and I will describe the process for making it, 
on account of its superiority over straw. The sheaf of wheat is 
held so that the ears alone are exposed to the action of the 
threshing machine ; it is then withdrawn, and, having been 
turned, is again replaced in the same manner. The greater part 
of the corn is thus removed from the straw without its original 
firmness being destroyed ; and by the use of the flail it is cleaned 
from any corn which escaped the machine. This being effected 
a small quantity of straw (an ordinary sheaf) is separated and 
tied just below the ears by means of a rope, one end of which is 
fastened to the barn-wall, whilst the other is held in the hand. 
It is now combed by an instrument supplied with four or five teeth, 
which are bent inwards, and any loose straio is thus separated. 
The labourer thus proceeds until he has prepared a bundle 
(28 lbs.) ; this is now examined, any ears which had escaped 
previous observation are picked out ; it is tiien bound securely, 
and the manufacture is completed by trimming it with a sickle. 
