WHEAT . . 75 



is apt to become shrunken, making a decreased 

 yield and lighter weight per bushel, and it is less 

 strong in vitality than plump wheat; but by 

 careful grading it will usually make good seed, 

 and if not too light, may make good flour. It is 

 a good practice in humid regions to begin harvest- 

 ing before the grain is fully ripe because as soon 

 as the wheat is over-ripe it may be injured by 

 storms and by rain which may lodge the grain 

 or bleach it and cause it to deteriorate in quality 

 and vitality, and the yield is likely to be reduced 

 by shattering. In cutting with the header it is 

 necessary to wait until the grain is dry enough 

 to stack without danger of heating and spoiling. 

 The binder may often be started a week or ten 

 days before the header. 



SHOCKING 



Perhaps more wheat is injured in quality after 

 harvest by unfavorable weather and careless 

 handling than from any other cause. Some 

 farmers are not only careless but absolutely 

 neglectful in this respect. If the wheat is cut a 

 little green, prompt shocking facilitates the com- 

 pletion of the ripening process, favoring the trans- 

 fer of the material from the straw to the grain, 

 which prevents shrinkage; also the sheaves may 

 be set up in better shocks if the straw is not al- 

 lowed to become too dry and fluffy and brittle. 



Whether to cap shocks or leave them uncapped 

 is a question. Unless wheat is well set up and 

 the shocks carefully capped, the caps are apt to 

 blow off and the grain will then become more 



