366 THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 



record it to the shame of our young men, who lack the 

 promptings of a laudable ambition to be able to do as 

 much as their fathers could. A little skill and ambi- 

 tion of a boy with a cradle or rake, will often surprise 

 a strong man, who is as awkward as a poorly trained 

 donkey. 



Shocking ok Stooking Wheat. 



" Now sheaves are slanted to the sun, 

 Amid the golden meadows, 

 And little sun-tanned gleaners run 

 To cool them in their shadows." 



The " shocking manner " in which a large proportion 

 of the wheat of our country is stooked — and in many 

 instances by farmers who sustain a fair reputation for 

 being skilful cultivators of the soil — is one of the chief 

 reasons why the market is often glutted by such a large 

 quantity of poor and sprouted wheat, and why there is 

 such a serious complaint about poor bread. It is quite 

 as annoying and shocking to a skilful farmer, to see his 

 grain stooked in the awkward and perfunctory manner 

 that is almost universally practised, as it is to a finely 

 educated ear, to listen to harsh discords, when harmo- 

 nious sounds were promised and expected. Were it not 

 for the purpose of turning the water from the grain 

 during showers of rain, the manner in which the 

 sheaves are set up in stooks would be a matter of small 

 account. But, since sheaves may be stooked in such a 

 manner as to turn all the rain of a moderate shower, it 

 becomes a subject of first importance to the wheat- 

 grower to know how to set up the sheaves right. 

 There is a right way and a wrong way to shock sheaves 



