cradle, in agriculture, rakelike harvesting implement of wood, devised in ancient times for gathering the stalks of wheat, oats, barley, and other grains (first cut with the sickle) and laying them in rows for binding. The later cradle scythe invented in Europe consisted of a framework of long, fingerlike prongs attached to the cutting edge of a long-handled scythe. The device was swung like the usual scythe but simultaneously cut the grain and gathered it into loose bundles ready for tying. Cradles of this type are still employed in some areas of the world.