406
indeed. Assuming 250 bushels as an average for the workof these people for one day, and their wages to be nine shil-lings, the expence does not amount to one half-penny foreach bushel of grain. Even reducing the quantity of grainthreshed to 150 bushels, the easy work of a good machine ofinferior size and power, the expence does not exceed threefarthings the bushel. Some English readers may supposethat the charge of beer is omitted in this calculation ; but thatis an article in the expences of farm management which hasno place in Scotland .
Besides being thoroughly threshed, and the grain and straweffectually separated, the grain is more than half dressed du-ring the threshing process, by passing through two pair of fan-ners, or two winnowing machines, which are connected withthe threshing machinery. Indeed, when the machine is veryperfect, and the grain remarkably well ripened, if it has beenharvested in fine order, it comes finally into the clean cornroom, from the threshing-machine, entirely ready to be mea-sured into sacks for market, or very nearly fit for that opera-tion. This is the case at least with potatoe oats and someother varieties.
When grain is threshed by a machine worked by horses,the expence is necessarily and considerably enhanced. Apowerful horse machine capable of effecting the larger quan-tity of work already calculated, will require eight good horsesand a man to drive them, who may perhaps require the aid ofa boy. The value of the work of eight horses in a threshing-machine for a day cannot be less than forty shillings, and thewages of the driver may be called two shillings and sixpence.Hence the total expence of threshing 250 bushels will amountto L. 2 : 2 : 6 ; or about twopence per bushel when the wagesof the attendants are added ; still leaving a considerable differ-ence in favour of threshing by the machine in preference tothe flail. Were it even ascertained that the expence of thresh-ing by horses, and by the flail, were nearly the same, horse-mills are to be recommended on other accounts, such as bet-ter threshing, expedition, little risk of pilfering, &c.