Object number
57/356
Description
A scythe cradle is used, when attached to handle of scythe, for catching cut crop and leaving it heaped in line on one side. The museum holds no information about where this scythe cradle was made or used.
Physical description
1 scythe cradle: wood
Label Text
Scythe cradle. The scythe improved on the sickle by giving the mower a more ergonomic stance and permitting a larger blade. However, keeping the grain stems aligned in the windrow required great skill and where these skills were less available the addition of a cradle helped to manage the grain heads, reducing workload and improving efficiency at threshing. A scythe cradle attachment looks like a large claw. As the mower mows, the grain stacks up in the cradle. At the end of the stroke the mower can neatly lay the grain down with all of the seed heads facing the same direction.
Archival history
MERL ‘Associated information’ form – 'Scythe cradle // [pencil sketch]'
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_4725.tif - High resolution image
