THE WHEAT CULTUEIST. 



335 



Tins is " the nick of time " to thrust in the sickle and 

 reap the harvest. At this point in the growth of the 

 plant, deterioration commences ; and the longer the 

 grain is allowed to remain uncut, the smaller will be 

 the yield, whether the grain be measured or weighed, 

 the larger will be the product of bran, and the smaller 

 the percentage of fine flour. After wheat has passed the 

 milk state, the change to hard grain is usually very rapid. 

 For this reason, grain is frequently allowed to stand 

 several days too long ; or until the kernels and straw are 

 " dead ripe." When wheat is allowed to stand uncut 

 through all these periods, a great loss is frequently sus- 

 tained by the shelling of the grain while the gavels are 

 being bound into sheaves. Still another source of great 

 loss is sustained in the straw, when the grain is not cut 

 until every part is dead ripe. If wheat be cut at the 

 period designated for securing the largest yield of grain, 

 the straw, if properly secm^ed from the influences of 

 the weather, will afford a large quantity of valuable 

 fodder for domestic animals. 



On this subject, Agricola, in the " Working Farmer," 

 writes : " There is probably no question in connection 

 with wheat harvest which exercises so much influence 

 upon the quality of the flour, as well as the amount, 

 as the time of cutting. In former years, when we were 

 compelled to depend on the sickle, or later on the cradle 

 and manual labor, there was some excuse for not takino^ 

 advantage of the proper and best time, but in this fast 

 and improved age, when one man, aided by a pair of 

 horses and a self-raking reaper, can cut and deliver 

 ready for binding, from ten to fifteen acres of wheat per 

 day, there is no excuse for its not being performed at the 

 proper time ; the only thing which can interfere to pre- 



