HARVESTlNtt. 107 



Those who have used them in this part of Nev/-Eng- 

 land, consider them of ^reat utility. 



For the descriptions and drawings of the different 

 kinds of drills, we refer the reader to the Encyclopedias 

 latelj^pubhshed. 



HARVESTING. 



When crops are suffered to stand on the gronnd un- 

 til they have fully ripened, they exhaust the soil con- 

 siderably more, than if taken off in a green state. The 

 same is the case in regard to weeds of every descrip- 

 tion. Perhaps the remark is not so fully applicable to 

 crops of roots. 



It may therefore be said that lands are negatively im- 

 proved, in a saving of their usual exhaustion, by taking, 

 such crops off the ground as soon as they have attained 

 a suflicient degree of maturity. This is a matter that is 

 worthy of consideration, especially when it is remember- 

 ed that several kinds of crops may be severed from the 

 ground, without injury, in some cases with a saving, be- 

 fore they have fully ripened. 



Thus, Indian corn may be cut up while the stalks are 

 still greenish, and set up in shocks for the ears to har- 

 den ; and in this way much good fodder will be saved ; 

 the ground is less exhausted, and the grain is said to be 

 as good. By harvesting oats while the stalks are some- 

 what gree^, they will be the better forTodder, and the 

 grain will receive no injury thereby. The same may 

 be observed, to a certain extent, in regard to crops of 

 wheat and rye. 



Flax pulled when just out of blossom is considered by 

 some the best. The pea-crop is injured by stasding too 

 long ; as in that case the hull becomes of little value. 

 In short, no crops of grain derive any benefit from stan- 

 ding until the stalks are completely dead, except when 

 the grain is to be used for seed. 



The period at which wheat, and in short, all the oth- 

 er sorts of white crops should be cut, is when the straw 

 begins to shrink, and becomes white about half an inch 

 below the ear; the circulation is then cut off, and all 



