GRAIN'S. Irty 



Straw turns yellow, eitlier from the head do^\•n wards, or fruin the 

 root upwards, saj about two joints. If the straw between the 

 two lower or upper joints has turned yellow on a majority of 

 the stalks all over the field, cut at once. "When the grain has 

 been drilled in, this ripening will be very uniform. If the grain 

 is allowed to stand after this period, it will lose a proportion of 

 gluten, which goes to the shell ; an<l will be more difficult to 

 handle without shaking out a large proportion of the grain ; 

 and the straw will lose much of its nutritious qualities. The 

 straw would he better for fodiler if cut a week or two earlier; 

 it is therefore important that the harvesting be not delayed a 

 day after the proper periotl has arrived : have every thing in 

 readiness to harvest the grain immediately. This can be done 

 with modern improvements at the rate of ten to fifteen acres 

 per day, with a single pair of horses, and a self-raking reaper. 

 By all means have a machine that will harvest all kinds of 

 grass and grain. (See in Chapter IV., description and directions 

 in regard to mowers and reapers.) If you only raise a small 

 amount of grain or gras.*?, secure an interest in some neighbor's 

 macUine; but if you cut ten acres, of either grass or grain, buy 

 a machine. 



A southern farmer, who raised seven hundred acres of wheat, 

 had it cradled by hand, commencing about ten days too soon, 

 and finishing ten days too late. That first cut, shrank ; and that 

 last cut, shelled badly, and gave a large proportion of bran, 

 Ilis less on the crop was not far from twelve hundred dollars. 

 A great deal of grain will still be cradled. The cradle scythe 

 is better less than four feet in length than over ; the fingers 

 should be a little shorter than the scythe. Do not grind the 

 scythe too thin. Many scythes are spoiled by too much grind- 

 ing. Stack the grain as fast as it is cut; do not let it lie in the 



awath. Whether cut bv a self- raking reaper, and left in gavels, 

 I] 



