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HAT 



dian corn, I would observe, that 

 many do it nnuch too early, to 

 their own damage and loss. As 

 long as there is any greenness, or 

 sap, remaining in the whole length 

 of the stalk, below the ear, or 

 even in the cob; so long the corn 

 improves by standing. For the 

 sap will continue to discharge it- 

 self into the grain. Though a 

 crop harvested earlier may meas- 

 ure as much in ears, or more, 

 when it is newly husked, it will 

 shrink a great deal, sometimes so 

 much that not two corns on an ear 

 will touch each other. Besides, 

 there will be the greater difficulty 

 in drying and keeping it. Corn 

 that is harvested early, will not be 

 fit to store in out door cribs, nor 

 in our common corn houses, un- 

 less it be first spread thin on floors, 

 and dried. And this is trouble- 

 some, at least, if not impractica- 

 ble. 



Squirrels, and rapacious birds, 

 disorderly cattle and bad fences, 

 drive persons to harvesting early. 

 But there is commonly more lost 

 than saved by it. When the corn 

 stands tolerably secure, and is in 

 no danger from frost, nor from 

 thieves, harvesting early is an er- 

 ror. I should not think the begin- 

 ning of November at all too late. 



It is not safe to let it lie long in 

 the husks after it is gathered, lest 

 it should heat, or contract damp- 

 ness. One unripe ear or green 

 stalk, in a heap, may damage ma- 

 ny. The common practice of col- 

 lecting large companies to husk 

 the corn as soon as it is gathered, 

 is a laudable one. And after it is 

 husked, it should have a dry place, 



I and so much benefit of the air, 

 that it may be sure not to grow 

 warm, let the air prove to be ever 

 so moist. 



Sometimes a severe early frost 

 drives the farmer to harvesting, 

 as he knows the frostbitten corn 

 is apt to rot in the husks. But in 

 such a case, or when corn holds 

 its greenness uncommonly late, an 

 approved method is, to cut it up 

 close to the ground, bind it in small 

 bundles, and set it up in small 

 shocks in the field. It will ripen 

 kindly, and take no damage. By 

 this method the grain has the ben- 

 efit of all the sap contained in the 

 stalks, to bring it nearer to matu- 

 rity. 



I have heard of some persons 

 in the county of Lincoln, who, 

 finding their Indian corn very 

 green at harvesting, have boiled 

 it in the ears after husking; By 

 which expedient they were able 

 to dry it in the ears, without its 

 rotting, or moulding. This may 

 be no ill method at a pinch. But 

 rather than be obliged to do it 

 yearly, 1 should think they had 

 better lay aside the culture of this 

 plant, or else use no seed but from 

 the northward, which will ripen 

 in season. 



HATCHEL, an instrument cal- 

 led sometimes, a Comb, full of long 

 pins of iron or steel for teeth, with 

 which flax and hemp are conffbed. 

 They who manufacture these ar- 

 ticles, as perhaps all the families 

 of farmers should, ought to be pro- 

 vided with several hatchels of dif- 

 ferent finenesses. Where only flax 

 is manufactured, two combs, one 

 coarse, and the other fine, will be 

 sufficient. 



