U4 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



that a roller be afterwards passed over the ground, to fix 

 the plants which may have been disturbed by this process. 

 See also, SPIKY ROLLER, 



HARVESTING. In addition to the wheat and rye- 

 harvest, in this Country, we have the Indian corn harvest. 



A general rule, as it regards wheat and rye, is, that the 

 earlier each is harvested, and before the grain has become 

 hard, the whiter will be the flour, and the thiner the skin 

 of the grain ; but the whole weight of the product will be a 

 little less, than if the grain be harvested later. Probably all 

 that is gained by late harvesting is an addition to the skin 

 of the grain. 



When a severe blight or rust has struck wheat or rye, it 

 should be cut immediately, even if the grain be in the 

 milky state ; and it should lie on the ground, but not so 

 close as to injure the heads, until such time as the stalks 

 have become dry and the grain somewhat hardened. Then 

 it ought to be bound up and put in shooks, and carted in 

 as soon as it is sufficiently dry. The later wheat and rye 

 are cut, however, the easier it will thresh ; but, at the same 

 time, there is greater waste by the shelling of the grain, 

 in harvesting and carting it in. 



As soon as Indian corn is ripe, it should be harvested ; 

 but, while the stalks have any greenness, the crop cannot 

 be said to be fully ripe. If the corn is merely toped in the 

 field, not all cut up by the roots, while green, it is advisable 

 to gather the ears, cart them home, and husk them out by 

 night; by which means time is saved, and by which, also, 

 the husks may be saved, which are very valuable for fodder 

 for Cows, Sec. 



If Indian corn be killed by a frost, it should be immedi- 

 ately cut up by the roots, before the leaves have had time 

 to wither, and set up in^ shooks, having the tops tied to- 

 gether to keep out the rains. In this way the ears will 

 ripen, in the same manner as when left to ripen on the 

 stalk. This, in most cases, is a good practice, where no 

 frost has injured the crop; as in this way the field is clear- 

 ed of the corn in time to plough and sow with wheat, and 

 at the same time all the leaves and stalks are saved for 

 fodder. By this method, also, the ground is less exhausted 

 by the crop. 



HAWS OR HOOKS. This is an enlargement of the 

 membrane over the eye of a Horse, and is caused by fever; 

 and fever, as Mr. Peters observes, is often occasioned by 

 too high feeding and pampering this animal, as he had ex- 

 perienced, by the inattention of his Servant in this parti- 

 cular. 



