Combed Wheat Straw (Devon  Reed)

This is prepared initially in the same way as long straw but at the thrashing stage the drum is fitted with a comber attachment, this holds the sheaf of straw throughout the operation so that the straw reappears as a sheaf with the leaf and grain stripped out. Apart from the fact that the roof is usually sheared to a close finish and thatching is horizontal in courses the fixing methods are similar to long straw. In appearance the finish is a halfway house between long straw and Norfolk reed This method is probably in fact the oldest as before the thrashing drum appeared the sheaf would be flailed and then used to thatch as we do now.