

-r^^T: .,y^fM^-^'' 



Vol. XX, Second Series, 



ROCHESTER, N. Y., JULY, 1859. 



No. 7. 



HlirrS ON HABVESTIN6. 



MuoH has been written in favor of cutting wheat 

 while still green — say ten or twelve days before 

 fuUy ripe. The principal reasons adduced are — 



1. The grain and straw contain stai-ch and sugar, 

 a portion of which, when the wheat is allowed to 

 get fully ripe, is converted into woody fibre or 

 bran; and that, conaequently, fully ripe wheat 

 yields more bran and less flour than that cut green. 



2. The straw, when cut green, is of more value as 

 food for stock. 3. There is less loss by shelling. 

 4. It gives a longer time for harvest operations. 



That there is some loss of starch by allowing 

 grain to get fully ripe, is quite probable ; but that 

 it is as much as has been frequently stated, there is 

 ao evidence. One thing is certain — that if wheat 

 is cut too green, it shrinks and yields an inferior 

 sample. On the other hand, when fully ripe, the 

 quality is somewhat deteriorated, and there is fre- 

 quently much loss from shelling. We know of no 

 better general rule, than to cut wheat as soon as 

 the grain becomes solid. Pres^ a grain between 

 the thumb and finger ; and if there is no milh in 

 the herry^ the xnheat is ready to cut. Then, with 

 our rapid- working harvesters, all the wheat can be 

 cut down before it has time to become fully ripe. 



The same remarks will apply to barley. As 

 soon as the sap in the grain disappears, though the 

 berry is still quite soft, it will do to cut. The 

 general rule is to cut as soon as the reddish color 

 3f the ear has disappeared, "When fully ripe, the 

 ar bends down to the straw, and is apt to break 

 off in mowing and subsequent operations, causing 

 •nuch loss. Still, for malting purposes, barley cut 

 ivhen fully ripe is preferred. The same is true of 

 wheat when used for seed ; — it should be allowed 

 grow till quite ripe. It is better to run tJie risk 

 )f a little loss than to cut too early. 



Oats are generally cut when rather green. On 

 ;he whole, talking into consideration the increased 

 iralue of the straw as fodder, this is a good plan ; 



though to obtain the best sample of oats, it is ad- 

 visable to let them get fully ripe, even tUl a few of 

 the lowest berries in the ear shell out. 



Binding is too often done carelessly. It is hard 

 and impleasant work, and is performed in a hurried 

 manner. To bind well and rapidly, requires a 

 skillful hand and considerable practice. Some 

 binders leave more wheat on the ground than 

 would pay the wages of better men, and their 

 sheaves so often tumble to pieces as greatly to im ■ 

 pede the future operations of pitching, unloadhig, 

 and threshing. The sheaves should not be too 

 large, as the straw is longer in curing. "We have 

 seen wheat bound too tight — so tight that the 

 straw under the band remained damp for several 

 days after loosely bound sheaves were quite fit to 

 stack. But it is not often that an error is commit- 

 ted in this direction. 



Shocking should be performed with care. How 

 often do we see half the shocks blown down, in- 

 volving much unnecessary labor, and, in unsettled 

 weather, much loss. Such a harvest as 1855 

 should teach us to be more careful in this respect. 

 "Wheat properly shocked, with two sheaves placed 

 on the top, with the ears downward, as is common 

 in England, passed through the wet weather com- 

 paratively uninjured ; while other wheat, careless- 

 ly shocked, was one-half sprouted. 



Barley is sometimes bound up like wheat ; and 

 many good farmers think this the best as it cer- 

 tainly is the neatest plan. "When mowed by hand, 

 it should be turned in the swaths, if necessary, and 

 then put up into cocks and the land raked by hand. 



The same is true of oats, except that they are 

 more easily bound up ; and the practice is much 

 more general than with barley. 



Pitching and Loading are among the pleasant- 

 est of harvest labors. "We like to see the work 

 performed with energy and spirit ; but in thisycase, 

 as in many others, the old adage, " the more haste 

 the less speed," is verified. The loader should be 

 careful to lay the sheaves so that they will ride 



