344 THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 



dred dollars. J. P. Lowe penned the following facts : 

 " A Southern farmer once grew three hundred acres of 

 wheat, which, in June, had attained a huge growth, 

 and appeared remarkably promising. The agricultural 

 papers were then recommending to harvest early, while 

 the grain was in the milky state. He followed their 

 advice, and cut the whole three hundred acres as soon 

 as the juice of the kernel began to whiten. The grain 

 shrank badly. He estimated his loss, from too early 

 harvesting, at $5,000. The blunder, as estimated by 

 the writer, and by the gentleman himself, who, by the 

 way, appeared very candid, and was willing to take his 

 full share of the blame, fairly belonged, about one-half 

 to him, and the other half to the agricultural journals 

 of the time. The papers had blown too strongly, and 

 altogether too indiscriminately, on the benefits of early 

 harvesting, and he had followed their advice to excess 

 — had cut his wheat in a greener state than they had 

 recommended — had misunderstood them, to an extent 

 which he freely confessed was inexcusable." 



Management of Wheat. 



Beginners frequently inquire whether it is not better 

 to cut down the growing wheat at harvest time, and 

 allow it to remain in the swath for a day or two, before 

 it is bound into sheaves. But experience proves that it 

 is far better for the grain, especially if the straw, when 

 cradled, is somewhat green, to be bound in bundles, and 

 put in stooks, than to let it lie in the swath, especially 

 in hot and dry weather. If the grain be exposed in the 

 swath to the burning sun, for only a few hours, the 

 intense heat scorches the soft kernels, and dries up the 



