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§ 5. Harvesting and threshing _A great deal more care is
necessary in the harvest process for barley than for any otherkind of grain, even in the best harvest seasons, and in badseasons it is often exceedingly difficult to save it in any tole-rable degree of order. As the straw becomes extremely brit-tle when fully ripe, in which case the ears are apt to breakoff in handling, it ought on that account to be cut down■while the grain is still in some degree soft, and the straw re-tains a considerable proportion ot sap, otherwise very mate-rial loss may be expected from the heads breaking off in thevarious steps of cutting down, tying, stooking, carting, andstacking.
The usual mode of cutting down barley and other grain inScotland , is with the rcap-hook or sickle, as formerly describ-ed, and there is nothing particular in the harvest manage-ment to require being enlarged upon. When reaped incatching or moist weather, it is generally set up in gaites orsingle sheaves slightly bound near the end, and set upon theirbutts spread out. When ready to carry, these are boundover again in the ordinary manner of sheaves near their buttends. It is often mown, either by the naked scythe, or withthe aid of a bow, which is supposed to assist in laying downthe swath more equally with the heads all one way. Aftertying in the swath till dry, it is taken up and bound intosheaves and stooked ; but this operation ought not to be de-layed a moment after the crop is dry, lest the straw becometoo brittle to bear handling with safety. The stubble is care-fid ty raked, the rakings being tied up into bunches or wind-lin gs, which are led home with the rest of the crop. For thislatter purpose, the horse-rake, formerly mentioned, is greatlypreferable to hand-rakes.
Barley is stacked exactly in the same manner with othergfain, as formerly described ; but it requires to remain in thefield till the grain is completely hardened, and the straw per-fectly free of natural sap, as otherwise it is exceedingly apt toheat in the rick, to its great injury. On this account, many
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