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ON Tin: A1IADLK LAND

The stacker now forms a circular row of sheaves aboutfifteen or eighteen inches within the outside circle or gang ofsheaves, which inner circle or row is called the heart-gang,and is very carefully laid sloping outwards and downwards atits butts, and upwards at the ear-ends, which rest or ride up-on the heart of the rick. After this he again fills up theheart. He next lays a new outside circular row or gang, thecar-ends of which are obliquely elevated by the butts of theformer inner row or heart-gang ; and continues to lay alter-nately outside gangs, heart-gangs, and heartings, alwayscarefully preserving a considerable central elevation, by whichall the butts in the whole composition of the rick have an ob-liquity outwards and downwards. In forming very largericks, or when the straw is very short, there may be two oreven three or more scries of heart-gangs, overlapping eachother as already described, and all carefully constructed un-der the before-mentioned precautions, by which the penetra-tion of rain into the ricks is effectually prevented. In theformation of all the circular gangs, the stacker works uponhis knees, pressing down every successive sheaf into its placebv the application of his weight. To ensure regular equali-ty in building, he always begins g new circular gang at a dif-ferent place from where the former terminated.

When the stacker has carried up his rick to the intendedheight, perhaps ten, twelve, or fifteen feet, always with theprecaution in construction already described and insisted on,he sets what is called the easing gang, or an outside circularrow of sheaves, having the butts projecting a few inches be-yond the body of the rick, and forming the eaves. Afterthis, every successive row of outside sheaves is placed gradual-ly more inwards, and the heart of the rick is always mostcarefully preserved higher than the outside row, and even agood deal more so in the head of the rick than while buildingthe body, continuing or rather increasing the obliquity of thesheaves. When he has drawn the roof of the rick to a nar-row circle or platform of three or four feet diameter, he quit?