Show Thatched Roofs Still. Common in England One of the oldest crafts in England is that of thatching. In Norfolk county coun-ty flat-bottomed boats still pass along the streams conveying men who cut and gather reeds for thatched roofs. When reed season Is in full swing huge piles of dried reeds stand along the banks waiting for the thatchers. Thatching is really one of the manual arts hereditary in certain families In that country. One family has engaged en-gaged In the occupation through four centuries. Only one change has been made in the process during the 400 years. Formerly For-merly the reeds were fastened to rafters raft-ers with long strands of bramble bush. Now either tarred twine or Iron rjegs 1 are used for that purpose. As the reeds are being put on the roofs their tops are still laid In place with a historic his-toric implement known as the leggett. This implement consists of a block of wood with comb-like arrangements of horseshoe nails. |