THE WHEAT CULTUKIST. 371 



eight more sheaves around it, being careful to lean them 

 all a trifle toward the middle sheaf. When setting up 

 the outside sheaves, one hand must support the middle 

 sheaf from being thrust from its perpendicular position, 

 until sheaves have been placed on the opposite side. 

 After the circle is complete, as shown by the accom- 

 panying diagram of stars, gather in all the ^ * ^ 

 spreading straws and lopping bunches of ^ ^ * 

 grain, and form a snug round top. Then, # ^ 

 having previously chosen the sheaf having 

 the longest and straightest straw, loosen the band, hold 

 the ends with one hand, and chuck the bundle down on 

 the ground, butt-end first, and bind it again with the 

 band about eight to twelve inches from the butt-end of 

 the sheaf. Now place the sheaf again on the butt-end, 

 and break the straw down horizontally in every di- 

 rection from the centre of the sheaf. Then place 

 this cap on the stook as represented by the illustra- 

 tion on page 376. 



For the purpose of corroborating the excellence of this 

 mode of shocking grain, I copy the notes of J. J. 

 Thomas, of the " Cultivator and Country Gentleman," 

 who writes : " Two years since, when the wheat was 

 almost universally injured or spoiled by rains during 

 harvest, the only exception which we met with was a field 

 belonging to an extensive farmer, the wheat of which 

 was cut early a w r eek before the common time and 

 well secured in shocks, like that shown in the preceding 

 figure. The grain thus secured remained in the field 

 uninjured through all the rains, and ripened into excel- 

 lent bright, plump wheat ; while all the other fields of 

 this farmer, and all the wheat of his neighbors, were 

 nearly ruined. We will describe a systematic method 



