344 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 4. 
for a very little experience will enable the operator to 
ascertain which is a flower-bud and which only wood, 
the former being more plump and bulky. Cuttings five 
or six inches long root freely with very indifferent 
treatment; and a number of them may be depended on 
as being likely to grow to a certain height, and no 
farther, so that the flower-gardener has no difficulty in 
giving them their allotted place. 
While calling attention to neglected plants, I may as 
well, also, remind our flower-gardening friends, that in 
the many inrprovements certain favourites have under¬ 
gone, there are some worthy ones.which are but little 
improved, more especially in the points which make 
them desirable as ornaments in the flower-garden. 
Chrysanthemums, for instance, have been described as 
having to possess a certain number of good qualities to 
approach to anything like excellence ; but one point of 
the most vital importance to flower-gardening is omitted, 
we mean “earliness;” for however good the qualities of 
the flower may be, they are valueless for out-door pur¬ 
poses unless they be sufficiently early to display them¬ 
selves before severe weather sets in. We should, there- | 
fore, like to see varieties introduced that would flower 
■without any extraordinary attention some considerable 
time before the period arrives for their being cut off. If 
they could be got to expand their blooms by the middle 
of September in the common flower-border, they would 
have a better chance to serve the season ; whereas, most 
of the varieties now in use too frequently have to suc¬ 
cumb to King Frost just as they are beginning to bloom, 
to the no small disappointment of young cultivators, 
who may have prided themselves on the healthiness of 
their plants, and their prospects of superb blooms ; and 
even if the autumn frosts should keep away, the amount 
of moisture with which the air is charged is equally 
fatal to their appearance; besides which, the season is 
in a manner gone wherein out-door flowers are regarded 
with interest. J. Robson. 
HARVESTING OF WHEAT. 
A great change in the opinion of farmers has taken 
place, within a few years, as regards the best time for 
commencing the cutting of Wheat; it is now cut much 
earlier than formerly. Jt is, however, often delayed 
| beyond the best period by many farmers, even at the 
present time, after all the experience they have had as j 
to the advantage of early cutting. I often hear it said 
by parties, that their Wheat is quite fit for the sickle, 
but they have other important work to do before they 
can commence harvest; but this, although a very com¬ 
mon occurrence, is a most objectionable practice, and 
usually attended with more or less loss, and goes far to 
prove that sufficient foresight has not been used in order 
to anticipate the time of harvest, and thereby arrange 
other important farming operations, and complete them 
in due time. 
When Wheat is fit to cut, it is the best practice to 
bring all the power that can be mustered to bear upon 
! the cuttiug of the crop, for it is of immense importance; 
and if any proof of the fact were necessary, it is only to 
refer to past seasons, and it will then be remembered 
‘ that the best quality of Wheat was that portion of the 
i crop first cut. 
The colour of the straw generally indicates the time 
when this crop may be safely cut, but the best guide is 
the examination of the grain itself; for if found not to 
yield any moisture when pressed between the finger and 
thumb, it is then in the best state for cutting. The 
m-ain soon becomes of less value if allowed to remain 
O 
uncut; for although the effect of the sun is all-important 
towards ripening the corn, and bringing it to maturity 
and perfection, yet, after that period, it has a damaging 
influence, and gradually changes the colour of the grain, 
and reduces its weight and quality. 
Several different modes of cutting are in use at pre¬ 
sent. Reaping is the old method, but not much in 
practice now. The straw lies so very straight in the 
sheaf, that after taking a heavy rain it does not readily 
get dry again without untying the sheaves, which is at¬ 
tended with loss and waste; the only advantage in 
reaping is by cutting above the weeds or clover, in case 
the crop is foul, or seeded for a clover crop the following 
season. 
Mowing is advocated by many, and it certainly an¬ 
swers very well with a good standing crop without 
many weeds amongst it; but in case the crop is lodged, 
and beaten down by wind and rain, mowing is im¬ 
practicable, or attended with great loss and waste. It 
is, however, the cheapest method by which Wheat can 
be cut by hand-labour, and secures the greatest portion 
of straw, it being cut closer to the ground than by any 
other mode. The best plan in mowing is to throw the 
swarth to the standing corn, women or boys following 
to separate the swarth, and bind it into sheaves. 
The third and last method of cutting by hand-labour 
is called bagging, or fagging, which has advantages, to 
some extent, over the other modes before alluded to. 
When the crop is very stout and heavy, or much laid 
by the weather, this is by far the best plan of cutting, 
it being most expeditious and least wasteful. By this 
method, the corn sustains but little injury whilst ex¬ 
posed in the field, for the sheaves being loose and 
uneven at the bottom, in case they take rain, they 
are soon dry again; and, from the same reason, should 
a portion of grass or weeds be tied-up in the sheaves, 
they are soon dry and fit for carting. It has always 
appeared to me that, as a general method, fagging 
affords nearly all the advantages attained by either 
reaping or mowing, without the disadvantages. 
Having said thus much relative to cutting Wheat by 
hand-labour, I propose to consider how it may be cut 
most beneficially by machinery. As labour becomes 
more scarce and dear, the reaping machines will, no 
doubt, be brought more into requisition ; and although 
instances may be adduced of these machines being used 
with some advantage during the last year or two, I am 
still of opinion that great improvements must be made 
in them before they will become of general utility. 
The manner of proceeding with the crop after being 
cut is the next thing to be considered; and the old 
method of allowing the crop to lie in grip, thus remain¬ 
ing upon the ground for some days, is the worst possible 
plan, involving, as it docs, more or less damage to the 
grain, cither in rainy or sunny weather 
As soon as the corn is cut it is desirable to have it 
tied into sheaves of a moderate size immediately, and 
