Only the larger farmers possess their own machines. The thrashing on the smaller farms is done by machines belonging to firms of engineers, which travel the country, each with its own team of men. These machines will thrash out more than 100 bags of wheat or barley in a working day. The more modern machines dress the corn so that it is ready for sale without further treatment. After it is thrashed the wheat is carried in sacks into the barn and poured on to the barn floor. It is next winnowed or dressed, again by a machine, which subjects it to a process of sifting and blowing in order to remove chaff, weed-seeds and dirt. As it comes from the dressing machine it is measured into bags, each of which is weighed and made up to a standard weight ready for delivery. In the meantime the farmer has taken a sample of the wheat to market. The selling of wheat takes place on market day in the corn hall, or exchange, with which each market town of any importance is provided. In the hall each corn merchant in the district rents a small table or desk, at which he stands during the hour of the market. The farmer takes his sample from one merchant to another and sells it to the man who offers him the highest price. The merchant keeps the sample and the farmer must deliver wheat of like quality. In the western counties it is sometimes customary for the farmers to take their stand near their sample bags of corn whilst the merchants walk round and make their bids. But unfortunately it too often happens that the struggling farmer cannot have a free hand in marketing his corn. In many cases he must sell at once after harvest to raise the necessary cash to buy stock for the winter’s feeding. This causes a glut of wheat on the market in the early autumn, and the price at once drops. In other cases the farmer has bought on credit last winter’s feeding stuffs, or last spring’s manures, and is bound to sell his wheat to the merchant in whose debt he finds himself, and to take the best price offered in a non-competitive market.