The Elbert County tribune., 1914-03-27

and implements are still employed 10
break up and prepare the soil The plow, drawn
by pair OF zebus, s very, crude AFFAIR. The
share, made of soft iron imported from Sweden.
is attached to rough wooden bars made by the
village carpenter and the pow Is fastened to the
heavy yoke by chain The soil Is merely
scratched on the surface. for the depth to which
the share penetrates depends entirely on the
physical exertion Of the driver, who is often mere
ly youth AS the rainy season sets in.
generally somewhere about November, field work
begins. Only two kinds of grain are grown In
Ears wheat for bread and barley for the food OF
the horses donkeys and mules. though now 1t is
also often used for baking purposes by the poorer
classes. When the seed has been sown. plank.
Ave feet long by and half feet broad pressed
down by the weight of the driver, who stands on
1t, is driven over the ground to level 1t and to
cover the seed that 1t shall not be washed out
when the fields are flooded by artificial Irrigation
II the rains good and plentiful the young green
blades soon show above ground; but II the nour-
ishng element fails. artificial irrigation must be
resorted to- and the few springs which exist in the
Shiraz valley become worth good deal OF money.
Water is scarce in southern Persia. and has to
be bought by most farmers throughout dry sea-
son. On specified days In the week each field
gets his supply for certain hours. The
fields then flooded, and to retain the water as
much as possible each division is crossed by num-
bers of DAMS two feet high which confine the
water. and in this way the earth is thoroughly
soaked. Where running water is not obtainabie,
wells and underground channels are dug From
the wells, some Of which are as much as o0 or ioo
feet deep, the water is drawn by horses or other
animals rope attached to the harness runs
over a wooden wheel on gentry above the well
mouth. The bucket" consists of the skin OF
sheep other quadruped, from the neck OF wnicn
the water flows into basin level with the ground,
and then through narrow channels to the growing
crops. These wells can be seen and the squeaking
noise of the wooden wheels heard throughout the
land The canals. very often many miles long,
are covered aqueducts, through which the water
10 lad frnu mOuntaing the plains ana VII
lagos. The soil thrown up In digging these
passages form mounds at the mouths OF the shaIts
which are sunk at intervals of 20 or 80 yards Ihe
digging Of these canals is special trade. and
the secret of their construction s guarded jeal-
ously by the who earn their living in this
manner
The crops begin to ripen and harvesting starts
towards July in the Shiraz valley, but earlier as
one goes further south The simple sickle is the
only reaping implement used all over the vast
country. When the crop Is reaped 1t Is not tieo
into sheaves. but Is merely stacked up. Wnen
threshing time arrives. the simplest OF macnines
appears on the scene. 1t Is combined tnresner
and chaff-cutter. Between two broad wooden run
ners there is a pair Of wooden rollers, In which
short wide. blunt knife blades are nxed- Inc
upper part consists of four wooden uprignts, on
which board Is mounted a seat for the driver
pair Of zebus drag this machine over the straw,
which is spread fiat on the ground. and Is cut. or
rather broken. up by the constantly rota'ins
knives. while the pressure OF the runners sepa-
rates the grain from the nusks ihe "cisn' =.
the driver supplies the necessary pressure. It
takes eight or ten days to thresh out stack, and
when this is finished. II the wind is blowing fresh
ly. the winnowing begin. Again very sim
pie instrument. merely wooden fork is all that
is used by the peasants. The monsoon. which
blows in August and September over southern
Persia plays an important part In this proceeding
The winnowers start the weather side OF the
threshed stack. tossing the straw into the air
with their forks, the breeze blows the light chaf
several yards to leeward, where 1t collects in q
heap. while the heavy grain falls at the feet of the
workers, and in this rough-andready manner the
separation of the grain from the chah ID effected
The remaining operations OF harvesting are very
simple The chan is 5aled up in large, specially
made nets and brought donkeys to the VII
lagos while the grain follows in bags on the backs
OF cameis or donkeys The poor people are now
allowed to CLEAN over the fields. sitting the dust
and gathering such grain and char as are left
Before the grain goes to the mill II is cleaned
lnnna more in . atone mortar With heavy wooden