212 



THE HARVEST. 



becomes coarse and hard with much woody fibre, and 

 is less relished by cattle. It is cured and used like 

 clover. 



744. The proper time to cut both wheat and rye is 

 when the straw begins to whiten and shrink just below 

 the head. This change will commence a week or more 

 before they are fully ripe, and shows that the grain has 

 ceased to receive nourishment from the roots. If taken 

 in before getting dead ripe, it makes 

 more and whiter flour, and the 

 waste from shelling out is avoided. 

 Wheat may be cut with the sickle, 

 with the cradle, (Fig. 38,) or by 

 the reaping machine, very similar in 

 appearance to the 

 mowing machine. 

 A reaper in op ra 

 tion is shown in 

 figure 39. 



745. All the grain 

 crops may be cut in 

 the same manner, 

 but oats and barley 

 are most commonly 

 mown and dried 

 the other grains are more 



Fig. 38. 



Fig. 39. 



somewhat like hay, while 



frequently cradled or cut with the machine. 



746. Indian corn should be gathered when the ears arc 

 trla/.rtl, hut not perfectly hard. It is customary in many 

 parts of New England, to cut the tops above the ears a 

 little bd oiv I his lime, and when the stalks are still rather 

 green. The corn is afterwards cut up near the ground, 

 and taken to the barn to be husked. In other sections 



