THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 



369 



drop of rain that falls within the area of such wide- 

 spreading sheaves, will be conveyed by the straws 

 down into the middle of the bundles. Look at the cap- 

 sheaf! How much water will that conduct off the 

 sheaves beneath it ? Not a single drop. Water always 

 runs down hill. The manner in which that cap-sheaf 

 is put on the stook, will be the means of collecting most 

 of the rain that falls on it, and conveying it toward the 

 band down hill and thus down into the sheaves be 

 neath it. Those sprawling tops of sheaves should be 

 gathered into a smaller compass, and placed beneath the 

 straw of the cap-sheaf, which should be spread out so as 

 to carry the rain beyond the sheaves. 



The representation of a shock of wheat herewith 

 given (Fig. 61), shows as nearly as is practicable how to 

 stook wheat neatly, so as to 

 turn off most of the rain. 

 There are two cap-sheaves 

 spread out on the tops of 

 the bundles which are set on 

 the buts. My own practice 

 has always been to set about 

 ten sheaves together, in a 

 round and snug compass, and 

 crown them with two caps 

 instead of one, as shown by 

 the illustration, Fig. 61. Yet the cap-sheaf in this figure 

 is not represented with the tops and butts spread as 

 much as they ought to be. It is extremely difficult to 

 show every important point on paper. But the reader 

 should understand, that it is important to have the straw 

 spread all over the top of the standing sheaves, so that 

 they will conduct the rain to the outside of the stook. 



16* 



FIG. 61. Neatly Shocked. 



