SOWING WHEAT
Wheat Is generally sown in the autumn, that it may take root and make its first shoot before winter comes; and it is not the case that winter frosts hurt the tender plant, as we should expect. When frosts happen late in the spring, they often turn the young wheat yellow or almost black. Barley, oats, and most other grain, are sown in the spring.
The sower in the engraving is scattering the seed with his hand from a basket: this method is called broad-cast, and was always practised with grain years ago. But in modern times a machine has been constructed called a drill, which, as it is drawn by a horse over the field, drops the grain in regular dribbling streams, so that when it springs up the field shows green rows of plants as close as they can be to grow well. Peas and beans are often sown also with a drill, but sometimes they are dropped in singly from the hand in holes previously made. This is called dibbing it in.
THE FARM YARD
This is commonly a lively and interesting scene, especially when fully
furnished with pigs, poultry, and cattle, hay-stacks, corn-ricks,
carts, wagons, and horses; with as many men about as show that business
is going on well, yet without any needless fuss or bustle. The
poultry are often the care and perquisite, of the farmer’s wife or
her daughters; —but we must attend to that man at the barn door.
“ Well, well, Thomas Diggins, but what do you say,
Will you take master’s job by the piece or the day,
You well know his temper; no nonsense! no fun,
But there is your money as soon as you’ve done!”
“You are right; but I think it raelly is odd,
If making that hedge an’t worth ninepence a rod;
‘Tis oncommon bad next the road, as you know.
And one gets on this weather so oncommon slow.”
“Well, Thomas, you know I’m the Looker, that’s all,
So I think that you’d better step up to the hall;
Tell master your price, and that’s all that is in it,
He will give you an answer, I know, in a minute.”
‘Tell you what, Mr. Forerhan, it is as you say,
Your master is close, but he ’s very sure pay ;
So I’ll e’en take the hedging at sixpence and beer,
May-hap he will give me more money next year.