OI’ SCOTLAND.
481
On the whole, it seems the safest plan, to use none butgood seed, and to avoid as much as possible the seed oi wheatthat has been infected with any disorder.
§ 12. Harvesting. —When thoroughly dried in the straw,which is easily known by the corn knots or joints becomingbrown and free from sap, and by the heart of the sheaves notgiving a sensation of coldness or moisture to the hand whenthrust in, the crop is led into the barn-yard, and built intocylindrical ricks with conical pointed tops, thatched withstraw, and secured by straw ropes, in the way already describ-ed, Parti, Sect. 13. of this chapter.
§ 13. Threshing. —Having already detailed the steps of thethreshing process for grain in general, in the first part of thischapter, nothing remains to be said on the subject in thisplace. Dressing for market, has been likewise sufficiently de-scribed in the section which immediately succeeds the accountof the threshing process.
§ 14. Produce. —The quantity and value of produce from acrop of wheat, necessarily varies exceedingly off different soils,according to a variety of circumstances, in seasons, tilth, ma-nure, and course of crops. Forty bushels per English acreis esteemed a large produce on good soils in high order, evenin favourable years, though sometimes from 38 to 47, andeven 55 bushels per English acre, have been obtained. From24 to 30 bushels, may be stated as a fair average produce onmiddle-soiled farms under good management; 18 bushels isconsidered to he a very poor crop.—The produce, after de-ducting what may be necessary for seed and family use, is soldto corn-dealers, millers and bakers, or to other farmers forseed— Prices necessarily vary from year to year, according toquantity and demand, and as near or distant from shipping,or extensive grain markets.
§ 15. Gleaning _This is universally allowed on all farms
nfter the crop is removed to the stack-yard ; but of late, allcareful managers, refuse to admit any gleaners into theirfields, when reaping is going on. In tormor times, while
vol. i. 2 H