An Improved Stalk Cutter 
Harvesting the Tobacco Crop ^ 
^ (TQRIiMING.”—The method of harvesting the 
Jr tobacco crop in the Connecticut Yallej' by 
picking the leaves from the stalks as they ripen, 
-priming,” as it is commonly called, instead of cut¬ 
ting the entire plants, has become increasmgly popu¬ 
lar during the past few years. In 1917 a consider¬ 
able acreage of tobacco grown in the open, as well 
as all of that gi*own under tent shade in that section, 
was harves-ted by “priming.” From present indica¬ 
tions it seems probable that this method of harvest¬ 
ing the tobacco crop will entirely supplant the old- 
(Stablished method of cutting the plants in some 
districts. There is a difference of opinion amongst 
tobacco growers in the Connecticut 
Valley as to the de.sirability of allow¬ 
ing the tobacco stalks to remain on 
the land after “priming.” Some of 
the growers cut the stalks into sev¬ 
eral pieces by hand work, and allow 
them to remain on the fields until 
they have become partially decayed. 
When the stalks are partly rotted 
they are plowed iinder and are con¬ 
sidered by the growers who practise 
this method to be of considerable 
value in improving the soil conditions 
for the foliowing tobacco crop. It is 
probable that this method of stalk 
utilization is now followed in about 
75 per cent of the primed tobacco 
fields in the Connecticut Valley. Some 
of the leading tobacco growers con¬ 
sider the tobacco stalks left after 
priming to be of no value to the soil, 
and it is the belief of certain success¬ 
ful growers that they are actually 
harmful to the land from the stand¬ 
point of the productiveness and qual¬ 
ity of succeeding tobacco crops. This 
diversity of opinion may be explained 
on the ground of differences in soil or 
other local conditions, and to the 
lack of definite experimental evidence 
as to the value or lack of value of 
tobacco stalks. 
PRELIJIINARY EXPERIMl-lNTS. 
—The method of cutting up the 
toI)acco stalks by hand Avith the aid 
of a corn-knife or other similar imple¬ 
ment is tedious and expensive. In 
many cornfields of the Mississippi 
Valley the stalks, after husking, are 
cut up Avith a machine cornstalk 
cutter. It Avas thought possible that 
this machine Avould prove to be satis¬ 
factory for cutting up tobacco stalks. 
A trial of one of these machines Avas 
carried out in several tobacco fields 
in Connecticut during August. 1017. 
It was found that Avhile the machine 
cut up the tobacco stalks in part, it 
did not cut all of the stalks, and in 
some cases only cut off the upper 
part of the stalk.s. This result Avas 
due in part to the tough, Avoody na¬ 
ture of the tobacco stalks, and to the 
fact that some of the stalks Avere 
lodged or in such position that the 
knives of the cornstalk cutter did 
not reach them. In order to secure 
better Avork in cutting up the tobacco 
stalks, V. C. lircAver and N. II. 
P.rcAver of Ilockanum, Connecticut, in 
co-operation Avith the Avriter. con¬ 
structed a machine in August, 1017, 
AA'hich has proven to be satisfactory 
for this purpose. This machine Avas 
made, for the most part, of u.sed materials found on 
the farm. The Avlieehs, for example, Avere taken 
from a Avorn-out manure-spreader. The fraineAVork 
AA’as made out of pieces of lumber from a Avrecked 
building. The driver’s seat Avas secured from a di.s- 
carded moAving-machine. The tongue and Avhifile- 
trees of an old Avagon AA'ere utilized for the tobacco 
.stalk cutter. The angle iron, steel-cutting blades and 
steel axle Avere purchased from a hardAvare store. 
CONSTRFCTION OF STALK CUTTER.---As 
sliOAvn in the accompanying illustration, Fig. 472, 
the machine is constructed so that the cutting blades 
lest directly on the ground. The Avheels, about llO 
mches in diameter, are set 33 inches apart, measur¬ 
ing from the inside of the rims. TAvelve angle-irons, 
39 inches long, %-inch thick, and tAvo inches Avide, 
are bolted onto the rims of the Avheels at equal dis¬ 
tances apart around the surface of the Avheels. Taa-o 
bolts, each being one-half inch in diameter and of 
RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
suitable length, hold the end of each angle-iron to 
the rim of the AA’heels. The angle-irons AA-hen in 
j)ositioh around the Avheels form an open drum, and 
are so arranged that the. cutting blades may be 
securely bolted to them. The arrangement of the 
angle in these irons is such that Avhen the cutting 
blades are attached they form a somewhat acute 
angle Avith the rims of the Avheels. as shown in 
Fig. 472. In this way the cutting blades, as they come 
into contact Avith the stalks, cut them squarely off. 
The best angle for cutting blades can be determined 
by anyone after a trial. The 12 cutting blades are 
30 inches long, %-inch thick, four inches Avide, and 
are made of the best grade of steel. The cutting 
blades are arranged so that they can he bolted 
securely to the .angle-irons. The bolts for this pur- 
Tuhacco Stalk Cntter at Work. Fig. .{71 
Getting Acquainted on the Dairg Farm. Fig. /f7S 
]m.se, as well as those u.sed for attaching the angle- 
irons to the Avheels. must be very strong and sub¬ 
stantial in order to Avithstand the Avear and tear to 
Avhich the.v are subjected Avhen the machine is in 
use. The cutting blades can be taken off and sharp¬ 
ened Avhen necessary. .\ steel axle, of the proper 
size for the Avheols used, extends six: inches beyond 
the hubs of the Avheels in order to support the frame- 
Avork of the machine. -The framoAvork of the machine 
consists of pieces of hickory Avood 2x3 inches in 
size. This frameAVork is reinforced Avith angle-iron 
in order to giA'e it additional .strength and stahility. 
The arrangement of the frameAvork is shoAAm in 
Fig. 472. It is set on the ends of the axle projecting 
from the Avheels, and is held in place Avith U-shaped 
bolts. A slatted cover for the top of the machine is 
constructed, as shown in Fig. 472, out of strips about 
four feet long and three inches Avide. This cover is 
designed to protect people oi* animals from accL 
955 
dental contact with the sharp-cutting blades. A 
Avagon'or other similar tongue Avith AA'hifiletrees is 
bolted onto the frameAvork at the front of the ma¬ 
chine, and a seat for the driver is fastened onto 
the rear. 
USE OF THE MACHINE.— It has been found 
necessary in most instances to use Aveights on the 
machine in order to secure the best results in cutting 
up the tobacco stalks. These weights, as shoAvn in 
Fig. 472. are blocks of stone set onto the front and 
rear fixtures of the framcAvoi'k. The number of such 
.stones needed Avill depend on the condition of the 
.stalks and the nature of the soil. The amount of 
weight necessary in order to accomplish perfect 
Avork C!Ui ea.sily be determined after a few trials. 
The machine is driven directly over the roAv of 
stalk.s, as shoAvu in Fig. -171. so that 
the center of the roAv is approxi¬ 
mately at the middle of the cutting 
blades. As the cutting blades are 
borne doAvn onto the stalks, they cut 
the stalks into sections, the length of 
the .sections depending upon the dis¬ 
tance .apart of the cutting blades. If 
it is desirable to cut the stalks into 
shorter sections than is done I).v the 
machine illustrated, more cutting 
blades can be used and be set closer 
together around the Avheels. Instead 
of turning directly around at the ends 
of the roAVs, it has been found to be 
desirable to make a broad turn. This 
easy turn can be accomjfii.shed by 
driving around several rows, instead 
of making a shaiq) turn to an adjoin¬ 
ing roAv, as is usually done in ploAv- 
ing. This practice is much easier on 
the machine than Avould be the case 
if short turns Avere made. 
COST OF THE MACHINE.—The 
cost of the machine shown in Figs. 
471 and 472 is as follOAA's: 
Estimated value of the wheels and 
axle ..$15.00 
Estimated value of the wagon 
tongue and wbiflletrees. 2.00 
Estimated value of the frame. . . . .5.00 
Estimated value of the seat. 1.50 
Actual co.st of angle-iron. 10.35 
Actual cost of cutting blades.... 14.84 
Actual cost of bolts. 5.00 
Actual cost of labor. 25.00 
Total ..$78.09 
This account of cost included some 
labor and materials that Avill be un¬ 
necessary in the con.struction of addi¬ 
tional machines on account of mi.s- 
takes in construction during the ex¬ 
perimental stages. The economy of 
the u.se of this machine, as compared 
with hand labor in cutting the tobacco 
stalks on the RreAver farm in 1917, is 
shoAvn by the folloAving figures: 
Cost of cutting stalks by hand. 
82 acres, at .$5 per acre..$410.00 
Cost of cutting stalks by m.a- 
chiue, 82 acres, at .$1 per acre. 82.00 
Total difference in favor of 
machine labor .$.328.00 
A. D. SHAMEn. 
Farmers’ Institutes and the 
College of Agriculture 
T he discu.ssion of farmers’ insti¬ 
tutes AA’hich Director Burritt 
invites may AA'ell, it seems to me, in¬ 
clude some other forms of Agncul- 
tural College activity in the State. 
Mr. II. H. Lyon’s article on page 807 
Avas frank in its statements, but much 
less so than it might truthfully have 
been. 51r. Lyon’s point of vieAV i.s 
that of the farmer; 5Ir. Burritfs that of the farmer’s 
educator, and the Iaa'o points of vieAA' are frequently 
much further apart than the educator seems to 
realize. 
It has been evident for many years that the force 
AA’hich sustained farmers’ institutes Avas not a de¬ 
mand for them upon the part of farmers, and it has 
been increasingly difficult for their promoters to 
maintain even such a shoAV of popularity as Avould 
enable them to obtain appropriations from the I^egis- 
lature. Noav that the last prominent advocate of 
farmers’ institutes, Mr. Van Alstyne, has passed 
aAA’ay, Avith the respect and affectionate regard of 
those Avho kneAv him. the College of Agriculture 
might Avell recognize the passing of a once popular 
institution, and cease to ask for appropriations for 
its continuance. 
Our College of Agriculture faces the possibility, in 
the not distant future, of beiug called upou to 
