SCYTHE. The common scythe is an instrument too well known to require a minute description, but as much of its utility in agriculture depends on a correct adjustment of its parts, we shall briefly advert to them. The blade of the scythe, which is always curved, with the cutting edge on the concave side, is fixed to the handle at an angle both to the plane of the biade and to the tangent to the curve. It is ou the nice. adjustment of these angles that the perfection of the instrument depends. A scythe must cut the corn or grass, especially the latter, as near to the ground as possible; and where the land lies Rat and the stones have been removed from the surface, a good scythe, in the hands of a skilful mower, will cut the grass ao near to the ground that little or no stubble is left. Every farmer knows well that an inch of the grass near the ground adds more to the weight of the hay than several inches higher rip, and that a skilful mower with a good scythe can easily add much more to the value of the crop than his earnings amount to, however liberally he may he paid, and that it is of the greatest importance that none but the beat mowers be entrusted with the work, and that attention be paid to the form of their scythes and to their being frequently whetted.
It is the custom in England for the mowers to stoop much in mowing, by which they imagine that they have a wider sweep. The angle at which the handle is fixed is very acute to the plane of the blade. In other countries the mowers stand more upright, and a longer handle gives them a greater radius. Habit makes that position easier to which we have been long accustomed ; but it is probable that a man can endure fatigue, and continue his exertion the longer, the more nearly his position is erect. In some countries the handle of the scythe is nearly straight, and the end of it passes over the upper part of the left arm. The position of the mower is then nearly erect, and his body turns as on a pivot, carrying the blade of the scythe parallel to the ground, and cutting a portion of a considerable circle. The position of the handle in this case must be such that when the scythe is in the middle of its awing, and the blade parallel to the ground, it rests naturally on the left arm above the elbow, while the mower is nearly in an erect position. By turning his body to the right, and stooping towards that side, he begins his cut, and by raising himself up, the muscles of his back greatly assist in swinging the scythe round.
The blades of the scythes on the Continent are mostly made of natural steel, such as is found in parts of Germany, and they are so soft that the edge can be, hammered to sharpen it and keep it thin. In England the scythes are forged thin and well tempered, and to prevent their bending they have a rim of iron along the back to within a few inches of the point. This saves much time in sharpening, and they very seldom require the grindstone.
Most scythes have two projecting bandies fixed to the principal handle, by which they are held, and these are variously put on, according to the fashion of the district. The real line of the handle is that which passes through both the hands and ends at the head of the blade. This may be a straight line or a crooked one, generally the' latter, and by moving these handles up or down the main handle, each mower can place them so as best suits the natural size and position of his body. Hence it is that a man can seldom mow well with another man's scythe.
In mowing corn when ripe, which is an economical mode of reaping, the scythe need not have so great a sweep, nor is it necessary to cut the straw ea near to the ground. The great difficulty here is to lay the cut corn evenly, so that the binders can readily collect it and do it into sheaves. This is most effectually done by adding to the bottom of the handle a small hoop at right angles to the line of cutting, and by mowing always towards the standing corn, which is easily done by beginning at one end and going round toward the left in an irregular spiral to the centre of the field. The straw is thus laid leaning against the standing corn, and is readily collected with the arm by the binder, who follows the mower. As the straw is not always upright, but fre quently bent to a side, this mode of mowing is not always practicable. When the corn is only slightly bent down, a scythe with an addition of a cradle, as it is called, collects the slanting straw more easily. The cradle is a species of comb, with three or four long teeth parallel to the back of the blade, and fixed in the handle. This inserts itself behind the straw to be cut, raises it up, and by a peculiar twist of the scythe after the stroke, it is left so as to be easily collected. Those who are accustomed to use the cradle-scythe do the work rapidly and well.