HARVESTING WHEAT I05 



the grain may occvir after cutting, when the wheat is placed 

 in a condition similar to the shocking and capping of bound 

 sheaves.^ Prompt shocking and capping, therefore, facilitate 

 the completion of the ripening process. Where it is necessary 

 to cut the wheat quite green, it is important that the sheaves 

 should not be left long on the ground exposed to the hot sud 



161. Method of ShocMng. — The sheaves may be put in long 

 shocks by placing pairs of sheaves in a row, about a dozen 

 bundles to the shock, or preferably in round slTocks with caps, 

 twelve to sixteen bundles to the shock, depending upon the 

 size of the bundles, the stage of maturity and the amount of 

 green weeds. In building a shock of t^velve bundles, place 

 three pairs in a row, then place two bundles on each side, 

 making ten bundles. Now lay one bundle on the top, then take 

 another bundle, break both ends of the bundle at the band, 

 spreading the ends fan-shape, and lay this crosswise of first 

 bundle. In some cases only one bundle is used, treating it 

 as just indicated, and in other instances the caps are entirely 

 omitted. Usually, however, capping with t\vo bundles is to be 

 preferred. In building a shock of sixteen bundles, place four 

 pairs in a row, then three bundles .on each side, and cap with 

 two bundles. Both for efficiency and economy of time, two 

 bundles should be handled at once, and care should be taken to 

 place the bundles firmly on the ground. There is a knack in 

 shocking that may be easily learned by practice, which adds 

 greatly to the ability of the shocks to withstand wind storms 



162. Methods of Harvesting — There are four types of power 

 machines for har\'esting wheat and other stored grain in the 

 United States at the present time. They are : (i) the self-rake 

 reaper ; (2) the self-binding harvester ; (3) the header ; ;md (4) 

 combined har\^ester and thresher. The hand cradle is still 

 manufactured and used for harvesting small areas. 



1 111. Buls. II (1890), p. 349, and 22 (1892), p. 119. Mich. BuL 125 (1895), p. 34. 



