The scarcity of labourers in many districts, owing to the increase of trade, and the immense number of hands employed in the army and navy, furnishes another argu ment for the general introduction of thrashing machines. It is a circumstance which cannot fail to excite surprise, that those machines are scarcely known in many of the best cultivated English counties, notwithstanding that their utility is universally acknowledged wherever they have been erected. Some objections have been offered by English farmers, as if the saying in one way would be compensated by the increased expense in another ; in ether words, that if thrashing machines were brought into genet of use, a great many labourers would be thrown out oi employment, which, 01 course, would serve to raise the poor rates. Experience, however, is, in every case, the mil est guide. Tne vet y same argument was used in Scotland when machines were introduced; and yet it has been found that the savings made by the farmer in this way, enabled him to employ more labourers than be fore. A similar objection was urged against two horse ploughs at their introduction, as if these implements would prevent young men from being trained to husban dry, and cause the number of ploughmen to fall below the actual demand. Time has, however, shown the weak ness of these objections. Ploughmen arc as plentiful as formerly ; and, what is of greater importance, they are better qualified for executing their work. Every inven tion that lessens the expense of farm labour, enables the farmer to employ additional hands in carrying on other works ; and, in all improved farms, these works are so numerous, that employment can never be wanting for labourers, as long as the means of paying them remain with the employer.
The mode of harvesting corn in England, however, is much against the use of thrashing machines ; and in deed it is against the process of thrashing in whatever way it is performed. In many counties, all the grain, with the exception of wheat, is cut by the sithe, and of course is not bound up into sheaves in that regular way, as when it is cut by the sickle. Oats, in particular, cannot be thrashed clean with a machine, unless the heads, or cars, are fairly and equally exposed to the beaters, or sent chcrs. if either this grain, or wheat, passes irregularly or unequally through the feeding rollers, the beaters have little powe•, and are unfit for accomplishing the pro cess of separation. Barley and beans are grains more easily thrashed, the latter especially, than wheat and oats ; though, after all, the more regular that unthrashcd grain is presented to the machine, so much more will the grain be completely separated from the straw.
Before closing this article, we would have been hap py, had it been in our power, to have stated, that the worthy inventor of the thrashing machine had received a remuneration in the slightest degree commensurate with the merits of the invention, which he brought to perfection, rendering to the public a benefit of the greatest magnitude. A patent was obtained for him,
in the first instance ; but circumstances, unnecessary to mention in this place, prevented him from deriving any benefit from it ; and thus the man whose labours have been in so remarkable a degree useful to society, has al most been the only person in the island, who has not re ceived benefit from this meritorious and highly estima ble invention. Upon the feelings of a great and generous nation, ever ready to patronize and reward genius, it is hoped, the history given of Mr Meikle's invention of the thrashing machine, will not be lost ; and that he will still have the satisfaction cf knowing, that his country men are not insensible of the advantages derived from his labours. Should any measure of remuneration be adopted, it will perhaps give the promoters an additional mtcrerst in its succc•ss, when they learn, that this re spectable and trulv worthy man, though in the ninetieth year of his age, is in full possession of his faculties, and likely to live many years.
In Virginia, and other countries, wheat is trodden out by horses, nearly in the same way as it was /..) r crly done in Palestine by oxen. A short accoulit cf this practice t :nowt be unacceptable to our readers.
Tile treading floors are generally Iron) sixty to a hun dred feet diameter ; but the larger tht•ir diann ter is, so much easier is the work to the horses. The track, or path, on which the sheaves are laid, and on which the horses walk, is from twelve to twenty-Four hit i wide, or more. The floors are commonly enclosed by fences ; and the horses are generally driven between them pro miscuously and loose, each pressing to be foremost, so that fresh air may be obtained,—biting, jostling-, and kicking each other with the greatest fury. The labour in this way is extremely severe. Upon some small floors, a centre stick is placed, to which hangs a rope, or a pole and swivel, and four or live horses being fas tened together, travel round upon the sheaves with the utmost regularity. Previous to laying down the wheat sheaves, the state of the air, and the probability or its continuing dry through the day, is fully considered. If they resolve to tread, the morning is suffered to pass away till the dew is removed. A row of sheaves is first laid upon the floors with the heads and buts in a line across the track of it, as a bolster for receiving other sheaves ; and these sheaves range with the path, or cir cle, the butts resting on the floor. Other sheaves are ranged in like manner, with the heads raised on the former, till the whole floor is filled, when it appears to be filled with nothing but cars of wheat, sloping a little upwards. Upon laying down each sheaf, the band there ol is cut with a knile. A west wind is always desirable while treading is going on, as when wind is from the eastward, dampness generally prevails.