Before threshing machines, flails were used to separate seeds of grain from their chaff or coverings. Grain plants such as wheat, rye, barley, or oats were cut off above the ground, allowed to dry thoroughly, and brought to barn where they were laid on the wooden threshing floor. Once the two were separate, the grain was collected in a further process called winnowing, which removed dirt and chaff. The leftover stalks, or straw, were used as bedding in stalls.