CULTURE OUTSIDE CORN BELT 1 85 



grain, and before the husking of corn and the removal of the 

 stooks, the following method will be the easiest and quickest : 

 Determine by the rows of corn the line on which the first row 

 of stooks shall be placed, and then cut four rows of corn and 

 lay them in one row of bundles of a size which a man can 

 handle without extreme effort; then on either side of the row 

 of bundles cut four more rows of corn in the same manner, but 

 lay them on the ground with the butts of the stalks toward 

 the row first laid down. 



"Rye straw is the best material for binding these bundles, 

 which should be done just as near the ears as possible; and, 

 while the workman has the bundle in his hands, he should turn 

 it over endwise, without lifting it, so that its tip lies where 

 he can reach it and set it into the stook without any carrying. 

 Proceed in this manner, putting twelve rows of corn and three 

 rows of bundles into one row of stooks, until the field is fin- 

 ished. This method will leave wide spaces between the stooks 

 for plowing and sowing; and the strip on which the corn 

 stands can be plowed afterward, which is preferable, if the 

 crop is early. In cases where the corn land is not wanted 

 for sowing, another method may be adopted, which _ avoids 

 much hard labor, and secures the crop with greater dispatch, 

 as follows : 



"Select the corn row on which the first row of stooks is 

 to be placed, and bend over two hills of corn at the ears, and 

 tie the tops together by turning them over each other in a 

 half-knot; then cut two or four rows on each side of this, 

 and without laying them on the ground, stand them, handful 

 by handful, in a bracing position, evenly about the two hills 

 which have been tied together. Proceed in this manner until 

 the whole field is completed. In heavy corn it is sufficient to 

 put five rows into one row of stooks. A two-legged 'wooden 

 horse' is sometimes used to support the corn as it is cut; but 

 in some respects it is not as good as the tied corn hills. In 

 both these methods of harvesting-, the stooks should be no 

 larger than is necessary to enable them to stand firmly; should 

 be so arranged as to permit a free passage of wind through 

 them from the ears to the ground : and should have their tops 

 turned over, and be securely bound so low as to strengthen and 

 support them. 



"The grain will usually be ready for the bin when the 

 leaves are dry, and the stalks dry for half the distance between 

 the ears and ground. If the 'stub' stalks are quite dry, or con- 

 tain visible juice, they will do no harm in the stack or mow, if 

 the upper stalks and leaves are well dried. The method of 

 husking must be governed somewhat by the weather, the floor- 

 room in the barn for doing the work, and whether it is desired 

 to save the husks separate from the rest of the fodder. The 

 main thing in the process is to utilize time, and save expense, 

 by handling the stalks as little as possible. This will be ac- 



