found that no farmer would part with the 
one that hung above his table; so one had 
to be made especially for him. In some 
parts of England there used to be a figure 
called the “Ivy Girl,” which is described 
thus: “It is a figure composed of some of 
the best corn the field produces, and made 
as well as it can be into a human shape. 
This is afterwards curiously dressed by the 
women and adorned with paper trimmings, 
cut to resemble a cap. ruffles, handkerchief, 
&c., of the finest lace. It is brought home 
with the last load of corn from the field, 
upon the wagon, and they suppose entitles 
them to a supper at the expense of their 
employers. 
In Hertfordshire and Shropshire, there 
was a ceremony called, “Crying the Mare.” 
It was as follows: “The reapers tie together 
the tops of the last blades of corn, which 
they call ‘mare,’ and, standing at some dis¬ 
tance, ilirow their sickles at it, and he who 
cuts the knot has the prize, with exclama¬ 
tions and good cheer. One writer says, 
respecting this custom, that “after the 
knot is cut, then they cry with a loud 
voice, three times, ‘I have her!’ Others 
answer as many times: ‘What have you?’ 
‘A mare, a mare, a mare’—‘Whose is she?’ 
thiice also: ‘J. B.’ (naming the owner 
three times)—‘Whither will you send her ?’ 
—‘To J. Nicks’ (naming some neighbor, 
who has not all his corn reaped,)—then 
they all shout three times, and so the cer¬ 
emony is ended with good cheer. In York¬ 
shire. upon like occasion, they have a har¬ 
vest dame; in Bedfordshire, a “Jack and 
a Jill.” And in Gloucestershire and Suffolk, 
when the last load is being brought home, 
the merry company sing at the top of their 
voices: 
“We have ploughed, we have sowed, 
We have reaped, we have mowed, 
We have brought home every load, 
Hip, hip, hip, harvest home !” 
And then everybody cries “huzza!” And 
to quote again: “The strong ale is then put 
round, and the cake which Miss made with 
her own hands; the load is then driven 
’round to the stack-yard, or barn, and the 
horses put into the stable. John puts on 
a clean white frock, and William carries 
a clean colored handkerchief. The boys 
grease their shoes—to look smart—and all 
meet in the house to partake of the harvest 
supper, when the evening is spent in cheer¬ 
fulness.” Somehow I like that—all but 
the strong ale—and I think the farmers of 
our own land might pattern by some of 
these sports, mingling pleasure with work, 
only they need not mingle ale with the 
clear, cold water. This English uncle of 
mine, says of these harvest festivals: “There 
was pomp without pride; liberality without 
ostentation; cheerfulness without vice; 
merriment without guilt and happiness 
without alloy. Why cannot the farmers of 
the United States have these festivals, too?” 
Sure enough, why can’t they ? 
At the risk of being censured for quoting 
so much, I must recount one of the customs 
of Devon. These quotations are not used to 
shiik work, but I think these old-time 
customs are better told in an old-time way. 
I could not improve them by altering the 
language, and might spoil some of their 
interest. 
After the wheat is all cut, on most 
faims in the town of Devon, the harvest 
people have a custom of ‘crying the neck.’ 
I his piactice is seldom omitted on any 
laige farm in that part of the country. It 
is done in this way: An old man, or some 
one else well acquainted with the ceremo¬ 
nies used on the occasion, (when the labor¬ 
ers are reaping the last field of wheat) goes 
around to the shocks and sheaves and picks 
out a little bundle of all the best ears he 
can find; this bundle he ties up very neatly 
and tiim, and plats and arranges the straws 
very tastefully. This is called -the neck’ 
of wheat or wheaten-ears. After the field 
is cut out, and the pitcher once more circu¬ 
lated, the reapers, binders and the women 
stand in a circle. The person with ‘the 
neck stands in the center, grasping it with 
b .th his hands. He first stoops and holds 
it near the ground, and all the men forming 
the ring, takes off their hats, stooping and 
holding them with both hands towards the 
ground. Then they all begin at once in a 
very prolonged and harmonious tone to 
cry, ‘the neck;’ at the same time slowly 
raising themselves upright and elevating 
their arms and hats above their heads; the 
person with ‘the neck’ also raising it on 
