Gilpin observer., 1914-03-26


break up and prepare the soil. The plow, drawn
by pair of zebus. is 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 plow Is fastened to the
heavy yoke by a 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 a youth. AS soon 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,
i've 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 30 that 1t shall not be washed out
when the fields are flooded by artificial irrigation
II the rains are good and plentiful the young green
blades show above ground; but If the nour-
ishing 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 Held
owner gets his supply for certain hours. The
fields then flooded. and to retain the water as
much rs possible each division 10 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 10 not obtanable.
wells and underground channels are dug. From
the wells. some Of which are as much as 60 or 100
feet Deep the water is drawn by horses or other
animals. rope attached to the harness runs
over q wooden wheel a gentry above the well
mouth. The bucket" consists OF the skin OF
sheep or other quadruped from the neck OF which
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 squeakng
noise of the wooden wheels heard throughout the
land. The canals very often many miles long,
are covered aqueducts. through which the water
is led from the mountains to the plains and VII
lages. The soil thrown up in digging these
passages form mounds at the mouths Of the shafts.
which are sunk at intervals OF 25 or 80 yards the
digging of these canals Is q special trade, ana
the secret of their construction 10 guarded jeai.
ously by the men who earn their living In this
manner.
The crops begin to ripen and harvesting starts
towards July In the Shraz 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 10 reaped It is not tied
into sheaves. but merely stacked up. When
threshing time arrives. the simplest OF machines
appears the scene. II Is combined thresner
and chaffcutter. Between two broad wooden rum
ners there is q pair Of wooden rollers. In which
short wide, blunt knife blades nxed. The
upper part consists Of four wooden uprights. on
which board Ia mounted as seat for the driver.
A pair of xebus drag this machine over the straw,
which Is spread nat on the ground and 10 cut, or,
rather. broken, up by the constantly rotating
knives while the pressure OF the runners sepa-
rates the grain from the husks The weight OF
the driver supplies the necessary pressure. 1t
takes eight or ten days to thresh out stack. ana
when this is finished II the wind Is blowing fresh.
ly the winnowing can begin. Again very sim
Die instrument. merely a wooden fork. 10 all that
IL 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 on the weather side OF tho
threshed stack. tossing the straw into the air
with their forks. the breeze blows the light chan
several yards to leeward. where It collects In
heap while the heavy grain falls at the fest OF the
workers. and In this rough. .andready manner the
separation of the grain from the chan 10 effected.
The remaining operations OF harvesting are very
simple. The chaf is baled up in large. specially
made nets. and brought on donkeys TO the VII
lages 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 chan - are left.
Before the grain goes TO the mill It 10 cleaned
ooes more In . stone mortar with heavy wooden