Painting by Winslow Homer, Veteran in a New Field, 1865. The scythe is an implement used for mowing grass, grain, or other crops and comprises a long curving blade fastened at an angle to a long handle. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. The scythe has been largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. Reapers are bladed machines that automate the cutting of the scythe, and sometimes subsequent steps in preparing the grain or the straw or hay.