130 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



farmers have lost by evaporation? Taking into consideration the 

 loss in weight alone, by allowing the wheat to become over ripe before 

 cutting, this loss is considerable; but the gain by absorption by no 

 means represents the full loss to the farmers, by allowing their wheat 

 to become over ripe, and cutting it with the header. There is a cer- 

 tain stage of ripeness or maturity when wheat has gained its greatest 

 weight and best qualitj^, and if cut at this stage, with the full length 

 of straw, and allowed to remain in the straw in a position to harclen 

 up gradually, this weight and quality become fixed so as never to be 

 lost. But if the grain is cut before this proper condition is attained, 

 kernels shrink and wilt, and the meat or flour making substance 

 becomes tough and leathery, and there is a heavy loss both in weight 

 and flour making and food producing qualities. The efl"ect of cutting 

 wheat too green is precisely the same on the kernel as is the efi^ect on 

 an apple plucked from the tree when too green. It is simply killed. 

 The nutritive juices, which would otherwise go through a natural 

 chemical or refining change, making sugar and gluten, evaporate, 

 leaving simply the shrunken organization of the kernel without the 

 life-giving and sustaining properties which are absolutely necessary 

 to make good milling or flour producing wheat. On the other hand, 

 if grain be allowed to stand in the field uncut until it has passed the 

 proper stage of ripeness, the efli'ect is almost or quite as bad in our dry 

 climate as that which results from cutting it too soon. Every farmer 

 has experienced how detrimental it is to hay to allow it to stand uncut 

 till over ripe. The leaves part with their substance, while the stem 

 becomes hard, brittle, and woody, and loses nearly all the qualities 

 that, if cut at the proper time, would go to make it good feed for stock. 

 The efi"ect is precisely the same on wheat straw, while the berry loses 

 its sugar and gluten, and leaves only the form — the dry, woody sub- 

 stances, and starch — with a material reduction in weight and milling 

 value. These statements are not founded upon mere conjecture or 

 theory, but are substantiated by analysis and actual field experiment, 

 and by the experience and observation of all good, thoughtful millers. 

 An experiment conducted by Charles T. Lancy, of Minnesota, in 

 1879, at the suggestion of President Folwell, of the State University 

 of that State, is especially interesting and suggestive to the farmers of 

 this State. Six plats of ground, 4291 feet long and 13 feet wide, with 

 vacant spaces between them about 18 inches wide, all on the same 

 character and quality of soil, were selected. These plats were all sown 

 on the 15th of April with Scotch Fife wheat, and the grain grew uni- 

 formly and presented an even appearance. The result of cutting at 

 difl'erent times and stages of ripeness and weighing may be seen in 

 the following table : 



jSTumber of 

 cuttiucf. 



Date of cutting. 



Condition at time of cutting. 



Yield per acre 

 in bushels of 

 60 lbs. 



First _. 

 Second 

 Third . 

 Fourth 

 Fifth.. 

 Sixth- . 



July 16 Early milk 



July 19 Advanced milk-. 



July 23 Early dough 



July 26 I Advanced dough - 



July 29. 

 Aug. 6- 



Ripe 

 Dead ripe. 



4.5 



7.6 



S.5 



11.6 



14.0 



12.6 



