Historic Treasure Article - October 3, 1982
by Dorothy Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
Historic Treasure Article - October 3, 1982
by Dorothy Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
One of the treasures of the Vigo County Historical Society is this grain cradle.
In these days of motorized farm equipment, it is difficult to think of the grain cradle as an improved implement. Yet its development was welcomed by Indiana farmers in the 1820s as a replacement for the hand scythe.
The long handle is called the "snath" and the short one, the "nib". Ormond H. Loomis described its use in the guide to "The Early Indiana Farmer" exhibit featured several years ago at the Indiana University Museum" "The long wooden fingers parallel to the blade caught the stalks cut in each stroke. With the cradle, a skillful worker could lay the stalks in neat bunches on thee ground. This greatly simplified the gathering of grain into bundles, or shocks."
Horse-drawn mowers and reapers were invented in the 1830s, but the grain cradles were used by farmers well into our century.
The one pictured here was the gift of Georgia Price, West Terre Haute, given in memory of Preston H. Price in 1978. It is on display in the Guy Stantz Room of the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 South Sixth Street. The museum is open daily except Saturdays and holidays from 1 to 4 p.m.