OF SCOTLAND.

897

ful invention where stone cannot be had. These pillars aretwo and a half feet long, and the round cape or bonnet at thetop, as well as the foundation, is one foot in diameter. Afterlevelling the ground intended for the stack, so that all the se-ven pillars may stand plumb or perpendicular, and level onthe top, they are placed on the level surface, and require nei-ther building nor flag. Being placed iii this way, they canbe removed with very little trouble or expence. Vermin alsohave no way of getting up cast-iron pillars of the above de-scription ; and neither rats nor mice have been found in anystack properly standing upon cast-iron pillars. The price ofseven pillars is 50 s., and the frame, which is made of the verycoarsest of timber, may be valued (including workmanshipand nails), at 8 s.; so that one stack costs 58 s.

There is another invention, peculiar to Scotland , calledbosses, which when used in stacks placed on cast-iron pillars,are admirably calculated for harvesting beans in wet seasons.The process is thus described : A triangle is first erected onthe middle of the frame, which forms a boss of about threefeet wide; railing must be nailed across the boss so close asto preserve the sheaves from falling into it; but when railingis not at hand, a strong straw rope is commonly used in itsstead. After the builder has reached the top of the boss, heplaces therein a sack filled with straw, which, when he buildsround, he pulls up until he reaches the top of the stack.—It is an important subject of inquiry, How soon beanscan be put in, by means of bosses ? That must greatly de-pend on what state the beans are in when harvested.—It is therefore necessary to mention three different casesin which beans are cut: First, before either leaves or podshave changed their colour; if cut in this green state, theywill require a long time, especially in a bad season, even withbosses, and it is hardly practicable to preserve green cut beansin any season without them. Secondly, when above half ofthe pods have turned yellow', and part of the leaves have fd-