In ancient times, before machinery was introduced for threshing, Corn or other Grain crops was threshed by using Flails. These were pieces of round sticks, usually Ash, about a yard or so long had a dried Eel skin attached at each end. The corn Sheaves were laid on a cloth to catch the grain and chaff. Two people, standing oposite each other, operated two Flails by using them to beat the sheaf head winding the Flails like skipping ropes. alternating the sticks weilded by the two persons. The Straw would be lifted aside and the next sheaves Threshed. After that operation was completed the grain and chaff would be 'Winnowed' by being put on a sheet of tin or a tray and tossed into the air allowing the wind to blow the light chaff away but the heavier grain would fall back onto the tray.. Very labour intensive. Threshing machines, operated by, in our cast a Lister petrol engine, did all that in one operation The sheaves were opened, spread out, and fed in grain end first, by men on a platform at the back of the Thresher. The clean straw was delivered by paddles at the front of the Thresher, the chaff was blown out to the right, and the Grain came down a chute into bags on the left. It always seemed to me like Magic how each was delivered in each place. The Chaff was also bagged to bed the Duck house because they were such messy individuals. Never layed in nests only on the floor of their house so the Chaff kept the eggs clean. Threshing day was always an exciting day because people came to help and they brought their dogs of various mongrel breeds but considered "Good Ratters" As the Corn stack got near the bottom the Dogs surrounded it and any Rats, which might have nested beneath the Stack, would bolt out, but were despatched by the dogs before they could escape. It was necessary to keep the Rat population down on a farm because what they did not attack and eat they contaminated. A serious deisease called Weils Disease was carried by them. Viola --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com