Ch.XIV.] ON HARVEST. - iSf 



being really better when cut in a partly green state, it is, however, evident 

 that — not only is the sample superior in the eye of the miller, when it is not 

 quite ripe, but that, if left until that moment ere the harvest be commenced, 

 it becomes over-ripe before the harvest can be completed. A man who has 

 a large farm, and is likely to be short of hands, should therefore begin the 

 work of harvest much earlier than might be necessary, were his extent of 

 land and number of labourers such as to enable him to secure his crops 

 without delay ; for if the weather continue dry, the grain will frequently 

 slied to the amount of perhaps from two to five bushels per acre. Tliis is 

 a loss to which all corn is more or less subject if allowed to stand until 

 completely ripe : barley, however, in a less degree ; and oats, particularly 

 of the early species, in a greater than the others. Oats are, indeed, in 

 that respect, difhcult to be treated ; for tliey ripen so unequally, that a 

 portion of the crop which is ready for cutting, will shed freely, either with 

 the wind or in harvesting; while that which is unripe cannot, without great 

 difficulty, be thrashed out of the straw. The grain which is first ripe is, 

 however, always the best; and what remains unthrashed is not to be con- 

 sidered as lost, for it can be used with good efi'ect in the straw-yard : the 

 crop should, therefore, always be cut before any part of it is completely 

 ripe; and the further advantage will be thereby gained of securing the 

 straw in a more succulent and palatable state for the cattle. 



The following experiment, though on a minute scale, respecting the 

 reaping of barley at various periods in different states of ripeness, may 

 throw some light on the subject as it regards every species of grain. 



The quantity was equally divided into six parcels : the first of which was 

 cut when the ear was pretty well filled, but soft and quite green ; the 

 stem and hose also green, and the leaves only partially decayed. 

 The other lots were severally allowed to remain until the dates here- 

 after mentioned ; the sixth being — both in the awns, ear, stem and hose 

 — completely straw-coloured, and in that state of ripeness which was 

 thought sufficient for the reaping of the entire field. The parcels 

 were then subjected to various tests, by measure and by weight, with 

 the view of determining their comparative value ; and the result 

 appeared to warrant the following statement of their relative propor- 

 tions, assuming 100 as the test of perfection. 



No. 1. Cut on the 11th of August, was as 40 



A greater difference, it will be observed, occurred between Nos. 5 and 6 

 than in a similar space of time between Nos. 4 and 5 ; which may be at- 

 tributed partly to an improvement in the weather, which had become more 

 favourable in the latter week, and partly to the accelerated progress towards 

 maturity which it is supposed crops acquire in the latter stage of ripening. 

 If, however, in that period, high winds or rain had ensued, the consequence 

 inight have been to turn the scale in favour of No. 5, and to afford an 

 instance of the danger of delay in reaping when the crop is in a state 

 closely approaching to maturity*. 



The harvesting of barley is, indeed, even in the best of seasons, a very 

 troublesome business, requiring more care than any other white crop, and 

 * Farmer's Mag. vol. xxiv. p. 415. 



