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_ L _ NB N_ _2 2. L. . L.L2, .000 ucomenmninee nnionnranasose n nen mm ioemmmmmernimemmemcmmacistris oi en Soge . senmermemges ienss ome mssn ns aee megeenonmrame e esnc 0n « | & \ | : â€"Threshing bee lled , By H. B. DISBROWE . succession of shaking sieves that separated them, and $ : | for The Free Press > permitted the grain to pour from the side of the maâ€" t § | wWhile driving along a rural sideroad the other day, 1 _ Ching _“"tg lhte Wa"t“}E, f)l:le(ibusg3el :‘,onttlamers. As eac(l; yerse | topped to watch a combine at work. The great maâ€" was filled, it was whiskedâ€"away to the granary an S : j t Tion, a | | emptied into a bin. As the carrier returned with the | chine moved ponderously across the field, cutting a container, be ed at the granary door to put ng ; R wide swath of ripe grain. A stream of golden kernels empt}RCOHt?]m?' I’I\:prauc?e at the granary p f + ~ flowed into the hopper at its topyand behind it, as it a mark on the tailvâ€"board. C i moyed along, it left a neat windrow of crumpled straw. As the men settled into the work, they instinctively : ' it was controtied by a solitary man seated comfortâ€" adopted a rhythmic pattern of motion that kept the a ably in a glassâ€"enclosed cab, from which issued the sheaves flowing at a pace that kept the separator operâ€" z m sound of radio music. He, with the aid of this compliâ€" ating at optimum capacity, All the whllg, the separator 7 _ 6 (‘ | cated machine, was accomplishing what in my distant: _ man moved around and over the whirling pulleys and | boyhood days would have required the exertions of belts to perform his duties. He filled and adjusted $ j several teams of horses and a dozen men, grease cups, applied belt dressing, and kept a sharp R i2 g 5s A.: vi.l. . _ eye out for real or potential trouble. t This lone farmer seated in his mammoth machine, > PR | whose cost would have sufficed to purchase a 200â€"hunâ€" At (Qe engine, the engineer kept busy firing the boilâ€" i3 | dredâ€"acre farm 60 years ago, somehow symbolized the er. The fuel, supplied by the farmer, consisted of old & S i we impersonality that characterizes modern life . . . even fence rails and pine stumps, of which there seemed an â€" on the farm. In the rural Ontario of bygone years inexhaustible supply. These items were cut into * threshing was a community enterprise . . . a social ocâ€" lengths to fit the firebox by means of a circular saw atâ€" casion that was enjoyed by all who had a part in it, tached to one of the tender boxes on the rear platform / In the unsophisticated early days of this century, the of the engine. It was driven by a short belt that conâ€" arrival of the threshers at the farm was an exciting nected it to a small pulley attached to the flywheel. event. The big enging came down the road puffing and Throughout the day the highâ€"pitched zâ€"iâ€"nâ€"g of the saw : K clanking; and emitting clouds of smoke and steam. Beâ€" could be heard as the engine man cut the wood to feed > hind it, in tandem, it towed the red grain separator the voracious firebox. with its myriad pulleys and belts, and the sloshing gurâ€" If the farm possessed an ample water supply, water gling tankâ€"wagon. from the boiler was obtained from the farm well; othâ€" a It pulled into the yard and stopped; in the sudden siâ€" erwise it had to be hauled from a convenient pond or lence one could hear the hiss of escaping steam and stream. Supplying it was the farmer‘s responsibility, smell the odors of hot oil and wood smoke. But the siâ€"; and a man and team were dispatched for this purpose â€" : lence was shortâ€"lived, for the crew, climbing down from time to time. Sometimes, while they were away | from their various perches, proceeded with much on this errand, the water supply ran low, and the engiâ€" ¢ shouting back and forth, to set the machine. + neer would let‘loose frantic short blasts of the whistle The separator was unhitched and turned around, and to signal the man on the tankâ€"wagon to hurry back then pushed backwards up the ramp into the barn by / _ with the fresh supply. the puffing laboring engine. Next, the engine was While the threshers went about their work, all was F backed down the slope and brought to a level position bustle and chatter at the house, as the women preâ€" â€" by backing the rear traction wheels onto a sturdy platâ€" pared to feed the hands. Providing good meals for the L form constructed of old railroad ties. Then the big rubâ€" threshers was a rural tradition, and each housewife ber and canvas belt was unrolled, and one end slipped did her best to uphold the standard expected of her. onto the flywheel of the engine; the other was attached A prodigious amount of foasting and baking was to the driveâ€"pulley of the separator. The crossed belt done in preparation for the annual epicurean rite. was tightened by cautiously backing the engine, which When the tables were ready they literally sagged unâ€" & / was chocked into positon when the right degree of tautâ€" der their burden of food â€" huge platters of meat and ness was attained. pitchers of brown gravy; bowls of mashed potatoes, $ While this was going on the exchange hands drifted peas, and carrots; plates of sliced tomatoces, cookies, ‘ ; in from the neighboring farms; as they arrived they cake, and homemade bread; as well as numerous + were assigned to their work stations. Most were sent to kinds of pic, pickles and preserves, and great pitchers ‘ | the mow to pass down the sheaves; but one was sent to of tea and coffee, occupied all available space. | | the platform to feed them into the machine, and two In the backyard, the family washtubs were set up on | â€" f were designated to carry away theâ€"grain as it came trestles and filled with water. Bars of brown soap were { from the separator. The job of steering the strawâ€" laid out, and fresh towels draped conveniently over blower, an easy task, was usually given to the boy of fence or clothesline. When all was ready, a wave of the the family. The farm owner, in conformance with conâ€" hand to the engineer brought in response a prolonged $ P vention, claimed the leastâ€"favored assignment, the sufâ€" shrill wail of the whistle that halted the flow of % focating unpleasant task of spreading the straw in the sheaves from the mow and brought the work to a halt. m dusty confines of the straw shed. After allowing a few minutes to clear the separator, , When all was ready, a couple of sharp toots of the the engine was shut down, and the clattering belts and whistle warned everyone that work was about to start. pulleys slowed down and stopped. In the unaccustomed 3 The engine chugged purposefully, and the drive belt stillness, the voices of the men sounded unnaturally . slapped a few times as it gathered speed. The various loud as they climbed down from their work stations pulleys, belts and conveyors started to revolve; then and made their way to the house. At the water tubs, . + sieves began to shake, the bandcutters flashed, and a there was a tremendous amount of hawking, blowing, 4# blast of air came from the blowerâ€"pipe. When the‘ and snorting, as the men washed the dust and grime . sounds converged into a purposeful rumble, the separâ€" from arms and faces before going in and seating themâ€" < ator attendant signalled that threshing could comâ€" selves at the table. . mence. All was concentration as the hungry men set to. The engineer responded with a short whistleâ€"blast, There was little to be heard but the clatter of knives and the platform man started to lay sheaves onto the and forks as the platters were emptied and replenâ€" ‘ conveyor that fed them headâ€"first into the maw of the ished again and again by the hovering women. But, as ts separator. The whirling blades of the bandcutters appetites were appeased, the pace slowed down, and severed the twine bands of the sheaves, and the maâ€" there was talk and goodâ€"natured laughter around the 2 chine growled protestingly as they went through the table. â€" cylinder and were stripped of their kernels. Afterwards the men drifted outside for more talk Down through the roaring, quaking machine went and to smoke, before returning to work; or, if at day‘s f the mixture of straw grain and chaff. The straw was end, to their respective homes for evening chores, And / sucked up and blasted out}through the blowerâ€"pipe into thus the job went on from day to day, the outfit moving § 2 the straw shed. The grain and chaff passed over a from one farm to another, until all were threshed out. $