208 FARM MECHANICS 



CORN SHOCK HORSE 



A convenient corn shocking horse is made with a 

 pole cut from a straight tree. The pole is about six 

 inches through at the butt and tapers to a small end. 

 About twenty feet is a good length. There are two legs 

 which hold the large end of the pole up about 40" from 

 the ground. These legs are well spread apart at the 

 bottom. Two feet back from the legs is a horizontal 

 hole about one and one-quarter inches in diameter to 

 hold the crossbar. This crossbar may be an old broom 



Figure 195. Corn Horse. When corn is cut by hand there is no 

 better shocking device than the old-style corn horse. It is almost as 

 handy when setting up the corn sheaves from the corn binder. 



handle. The pole and the crossbar mark the four divi- 

 sions of a corn shock. Corn is cut and stood up in each 

 corner, usually nine hills in a corner, giving thirty-six 

 hills to a shock. Corn planted in rows is counted up to 

 make about the same amount of corn to the shock. Of 

 course a heavy or light crop must determine the num- 

 ber of rows or hills. When enough corn is cut for a 

 shock it is tied with two bands, the crossbar is pulled 

 out and the corn horse is dragged along to the next 

 stand. 



HUSKING-PIN 



Hand huskers for dividing the cornhusks at the tips 

 of the ears are made of wood, bone or steel. Wooden 

 husking-pins are made of ironwood, eucalyptus, second 

 growth hickory, or some other tough hardwood. The 



