152 THE BOOK OF CORN 



shock is completed tie at the top lightly with a stalk 

 of green corn or a cord. 



The corn binder is coming into use rapidly, 

 some big farmers operating as many as ten at one time. 

 They are so constructed that corn can be handled even 

 though it be badly blown down. It operates best in 

 corn of medium size. The cost of twine is largely off- 

 set by the smaller amount of labor required for shock- 

 ing and hauling. Where the crop is on the green order 

 there is more danger of it molding under the band 

 when placed in the shock than if cut by hand. If it 

 is not practicable to have a corn binder, many of the 

 numerous drag cutters in the form of a sled with cut- 

 ting knives on each side answer very well and save 

 much hard work. They are simple and can be con- 

 structed at home with the aid of a blacksmith. The 

 old-fashioned method of cutting with a hand knife still 

 obtains in many places. 



The corn binder (Fig 42) is cutting corn sixteen 

 feet high and doing good work. Where the stalks 

 stand up well and the field is free from weeds the 

 binder will cut and handle corn of almost any size. 

 Corn of medium hight it will take care of even when 

 badly down, provided the stalks do not lean in the 

 direction the machine is being driven. Two strong 

 horses find no difficulty in drawing the binder all day. 

 Storing the Fodder — The common practice in the 

 corn belt is to let the fodder remain in the field until 

 wanted. This results in a loss of about twenty per cent, 

 depending upon the weather, size of the shock, etc. 

 Where large shocks have been made this loss, of 

 course, is reduced to the minimum. Stacking corn 

 fodder after it has been thoroughly dried is common 

 where small quantities are to be taken care of. This 

 also is true in the older states, where the fodder is 

 stored in the barn. 



