14 



BULLETIN 627, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



been made for the use of the wagon in any case, as this is a factor 

 which is exceedingly hard to determine with accuracy, since the 

 wagons are used for so many other purposes. If properly cared for 

 they will last many years and the cost would, therefore, be prac- 

 tically negligible. 



From the figures in this table it will be seen that the cost of stack- 

 ing wheat varies from 80 cents to $1.06^ per acre, or from 5 to 6^ 

 cents per bushel on a 16-bushel yield. The cost of stacking is little 

 if any greater than the cost of hauling from shock to the separator 

 when thrashing. Having the grain in stacks expedites thrashing 

 somewhat and at the same time reduces the number of men and 

 horses required. 



Where stacking is properly done the grain is better protected in 

 stacks than in shocks. 1 In wet seasons or when thrashing can not be 

 done soon after cutting, the importance of this protection is increased. 

 A sweating process also takes place in the stack, which improves to 

 some extent the color, condition, and test weight of the grain and its 

 milling and baking qualities. The improvement may be sufficient 

 to obtain a better market grade, with resulting higher price when 

 sold. A similar sweating process apparently may take place in 

 shock-thrashed wheat after being placed in the bin, but to take ad- 

 vantage of this the farmer must have storage room for his thrashed 

 grain and must also get it thrashed from the shock while it is in as 

 good condition as when placed in the stack. 



Table VII. — Labor cost per acre and per bushel of stacking wheat with maw- 

 labor at $2 and horse-labor at $1.20 per day of JO hours. 





Number 



of 

 horses. 



A cres 



covered 



per 



day. 



Labor cost per acre. 



Cost per 

 bushel 



(16- 

 bushel 

 yield). 



Operation. 



Man. 



Horse. 



Total. 



1 man pitching and 1 man loading (1 wagon; 1 . . . 



2 



2 

 4 



6 



8 



10 



SO. 66 i 

 .50" 

 .40 



SO. 40 

 .30 



.48 



SI. 06 J SO. 06* 

 .80 . 05" 





.88 -O.W 













1 Hayracks are commonly used in the East. 



2 Western type of bundle wagon. 



Other advantages of stacking are that it makes it possible in wet 

 weather to thrash the wheat more completely from the straw, thus 

 saving more of the grain, and to remove more of the chaff, thus 

 securing cleaner grain. Thrashing can begin sooner after rains if 

 wheat is stacked, especially if the stacks are protected by a cover of 

 any kind. In thrashing from the shock after a period of rainy 

 weather the grain secured is nearly always somewhat damp and 

 tough, as the tendency is to begin thrashing too soon after rains. 

 Stacking also permits early fall j)lowing. which is particularly de- 



1 Acknowledgment is due Messrs. Clyde E. Leighty and Carleton R. Ball, agronomists 

 in charge of Eastern and Western Wheat Investigations, respectively, for information 

 concerning the effect of stacking on the quality of wheat. 



