What's a snath?

In a June, 1912 issue of the Pierz Journal this ad for Jacob Neisius' store puzzled me.  I know what a scythe is cuz dad had one, but the word snath is totally new to me.  Still, it would have been in the vernacular of our farmer-ancestors, so....I googled it ☺.

Turns out they're still sold--'snath'  refers to the handle of the scythe, I think, and whether or not it's the right length for you is important. 

 I assume that most farmers had horse-drawn hay mowers but that a scythe was needed on smaller or less accessible areas on the farm...or if you couldn't afford a mower. More pics and explanations HERE from the Oliver Kelley farm in Elk River, Mn....where the pic below is from.

For sure, mowing a field with a scythe would be tedious and slow, but just watch the rhythm this man sets up, out there in the sunshine, with birdsong and the breeze.  He has time for contemplation, I think.

The Jacob Neisius Store was shown here on the right.
It's the store with the awning.

Yay!  Heinz from Austria wrote this morning.  He says fields of hay were cut by up to 30 men abreast (at least that's what google translated).  I know it was work, and pretty soon your muscles would burn, but the idea of so many people working together, the smell of fresh hay, 
 and the soft swoosh sounds made by...well, no wonder they were called 'scythes'.
Danke, Heinz!