THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 373 



How TO MAKE LONG SHOCKS. 



When sheaves of any kind are set up in long shocks, 

 the stooks should stand north and south, rather than in 

 any other direction, so that the sun may shine on one 

 side in the former part of the day, and on the opposite 

 side in the afternoon. If the stooks be set up in an 

 east and west direction, the north side of the sheaves 

 get the benefit of very little sunshine, while the south 

 side receives more than an equal proportion. 



When those laborers who cannot set up sheaves satis- 

 factorily, carry the bundles together, they should be 

 taught to lay the sheaves in two rows, tops toward each 

 other, with about three feet space between the heads. 

 Then, the operator takes a sheaf in each hand, and 

 chucks them down on the butts, once only, on the ground, 

 with the tops leaning inward only a little. The sheaves 

 should not lean as far as the rafters of a house. After 

 they have been set down, press the tops together. Then 

 set up two more sheaves, close to the first pair ; and then 

 two more ; and so on, until the shock is finished. If a 

 sheaf is chucked down more than once, the butts will 

 be broken and bent around in various directions ; and 

 the sheaves will not maintain their erect position so 

 well as they will when jammed down only once. Long 

 shocks may be made of any desired length. But great 

 care should be exercised, that the sheaves do not lean 

 lengthways of the stook. If they be set up correctly, 

 they will stand erect as long as it is desirable to allow 

 the grain to remain in the field. Whether the sheaves 

 be set up in long shocks or in round shocks, a sheaf 

 should never be jammed down on the ground more than 

 once, if we would have it stand up well. 



