Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-09-25

the Atlantic.
Correspondence OF the Traveller
The Harvest in Scotland.
1t is now the height of the harvest. The
Scotch farmers have been looking especially
at the ripening crops CHANGING their eyes en-
quiringly towards the sky, to observe the
signs; snuffing the moisture, and shaking the
head ominously ; or lighting up again, as the
clouds break and dispense. The conversation.
in the cars, in the coach, at the hotel is all of
the crops This, at present, is the absorbing
theme. All are interested the merchant and
mechanic as well as the farmer. What
think We of the weather for harvest F." is the
constant enquiry. Shall we have good
time to gather in 4" All this deep and gen.
eral interest is to be accounted for from their
insular situation, the uniformity Of the weather
over Great Britain, their dependence on the
crop for general subsistence, and for general
thrift; for as the crops vary, so varies the
comfort and prosperity of the whole Island.
The ickleness of Their climate, also, its moist
ure, Its fogs, all render the harvest uncertain,
and the gathering of it matter of profound
anxiety and interest. 1t is dtfferedt some
what with us. Our vast extent of country,
renders the crop almost certain; for if in
some localities it full, in Others it will prove
abundant. This Is not to the same extent
true in England and Scotland. Our climate
too is more steady. Even weeks of dry, hot
weather are not uncommon among US, especi
ally in time of harvest; but the case is very
different here. A bright sun in the morning
is no presage of what the weather will be at
noon or at night. Within the last few days
every variety of weati er has been experienced
In the morning, calm and bright at ten, gusty
and Iull with dashes of rain, succeeded by q
burst of sunshine. At night all gloom and
tempest and at midnight clear bracing at
nosphere, and bright heavens. Such has
been the weather for several successive days.
and the Scotch call it quite " fairish i" and
seem to be well satisfied that it is no " orse.
1t is a rich season for the traveller. The
golden harvest is waning and waiting for the
sickle. Its contrast with beautiful green
lawns, and deeper green frs, covering the
hills and vallies with a varied as well as luxu-
rant vegetation. makes the landscape alto
gether enchanting. There is everywhere a
high state of cultivation mean wherever
there is land susceptible of Improvement; and
there is u rivalry OF the best kind among those
who raise crops or rear cattle for the market.
Their annual fairs, now occurring tend greatly
to keep up this generous emulation.
u have been much interested IN the harvest
season. | have travelled along with It from
Italy 10 the north OF Scotland, it having pro-
crossed just about as fast as my convenience
has lei me to travel. Everywhere, can
say, it is most abundant. In Italy, Switzer-
land, ermany, France, Belgium, it was of
the same character FOR abundance. Passing
over into England and on to Scotland, it is
the same, very heavy and very promising.
Should the gathering be good, as nov it bids
fair to be, there win be no lack of bread; and
our spectators may as we'll make up their
| minds to let the thing alone for this season.
! Flow thankful we should be to Heaven for
such abundance 1t puts eheerfnness
I upon every face, and goodness in every heart.
| The principal crops are wheat, barley, and
oats, with preponderance of wheat. A large
/ Quantity of the wheat is now down, and every
/ whe the fields are Tiled with laborers plying
the sickle or binding the sheares. 1t is a
most animating sight. Where the field is
larqe. and the grain heavy, the propr etor en-
CAGES a large number of hands, to be ready on
a tair day to enter the field. have seen from
afty to hundred engaged at one time. 1t is
said that hundred arc sometimes seen in
single field They are men and maidens.
The women are as expert with the sickle as
the men. Their wages are less; but it APP
pealed to me, as looked on, that their work
was not any less than the mems. When first
saw women at work in the fields, as l cid
everywhere on the Continent, felt, as all
American naturally would feel, mingled
pity and disgust. But it is wonderful how
soon such things cease to affect. Here, in
Scotland, it actually has come to look pictu-
rssque and agreeable. The women-especi-
ally the young women-seem to enter into it
as sort of frolc. They form quite an item
in the tableaux. They WELD the sickle with
dexterity and gracefulness. l have seen a
woman in shop bargaining for one Of these
instruments, and examining its edge and re-
marking upon 1t With all the nice dlsermina-
ton OF an experienced reaper. L have seen
it upon her shoulders, as she marched 10 or
from the field have seen 1t flash III her
hands as the corn tell before 1t, while, with a
graceful movement OF the arms, she caught
the falling gram and lara 1t III It's proper place.
The men with their red caps, and the women
with their neat white piaided ones, move to-
gether, and before them rapidly disappears the
standing corn, whist behind them another
group, in close pursuit, gather and bind the
falling stalks. The older women have sort
OF loose, snort gown anu cap, rendering tner
inc lassles inaulge u solne'n,ng more lahelLul
as wn.'e o. o,o"n na' ou 'lle neau' anu sne
dress n',eo 70 ene losnn, anu neatly 'ueSeu up.
80 az 70 Aeep ou' u 'neir "ay Tug osnef"lse
IVY nVmitS sAitt.
al looA anu lne osisns
eye na',les Ltoin ui,ust 'ilS ne'Aieo orom, 1ie