The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-09-10 00:00:00

CORN SAVING.

On the above subject, the Daily Telegraph has published
several letters—amongst others, the following: -

"F. R." writes : "Seeing how often the harvests
in England are spoilt by. bad weather, it has often
surprised me that the simple method of drying the
corn used in Russia has never been adopted here. In
some parts of Russia most of the estates are provided
with a large building, consisting of a barn, with four
wings, each of which has in the middle a stove. Gal-
leries run all round, in which the sheaves of corn are
placed to dry. Ventilation in the roof carries off
superfluous heat and steam, and doors communicate
with the barn in which the corn is threshed."
" li. S." suggests a plan which from experience he
has found to answer admirably well in wet seasons.
He says, "It is to put the corn directly it is cut into
what we call in Devonshire wind mows,' a little mow
containing from twelve to fifteen shocks, made by
placing the sheaves in a slanting position around a
shock placed in the middle, and gradually getting
smaller as they reach the top. Then, if a man follows
after with a little straw, they can be easily thatched
and made secure against all weathers until a fine day
or two permits of their being opened and carted."
"Wool and Leather" remarks : "I DM not a-, agri.
culturist at all, but have some knowledge of two trades
—tmining and felltnongering. Now, though in both
these businesses good drying weather' is deemed a
boon, yet in neither is anything but artificial means
relied upon. I have seen various .ways of wool drying,
most thorough and expeditous, more than one of which,
I think, might be applied to corn. However, I would
suggest the steam drying shed system only. Could
not corn be gathered in wet weather, the ears shorn
off, placed on racks fitted round the walls of a shed of
sly three low floors—ventilating ones, being simply
perforated sheet iron. A proper arrangement of steam
piping and air currants could be made, and the build-
ing. which would cost but little, would be of use
a 3 a store when not required for drying pur-
poses."

The Chamber of Agriculture Journal, writing on
this subject, says :—" By a very general verdict,
artificial drying has been approved as a means of
saving corn in a wet harvest. It is remarkable, how-
ever, that with one or two exceptions the merits
of the small wind rick have been overlooked. We
de not hesitate to assert that next to artificial
drying the only practical method worthy of
the slightest consideration in preventing wheat
crops from sustaining damage after being cut, is
to build these small wind ricks. That it may be
thoroughly depended on for securing this desirable
object we have experienced again and again. We
have known them erected in seasons far worse than
the one we are passing -through- now —without, the
slightest sprouting out of ears being sustained, and
there is another advantageous feature in connection
with the system, that whenever taken apart in any
dry period in the subsequent autumn the wheat is
sure to be in capital condition for threshing and
marketing.

The POSITION of the AGRICULTURAL

LABOURER.

Lord Leigh, speaking at the dinner of the Warwick-
shire Horticultural Society, at Rugby, on Tuesday,
said, referring to the prizes given to labourers, that
none were so well directed as those for the tidiest
cottages; for the more tidy a man was in his domestic
life, and the tidier helpmate he had, the better
labourer he would prove.
Lord Denbigh strongly advocated a proper recogni-
tion of the labourer's position as an important factor
in the wealth-producing power of the country.
Mr. Newdegate, M.P., replying for the county
members, said farmers had been almost neglected in
the commercial prosperity of the country, but he was
glad men of their class were coming to their senses,
having experienced a share of the depression which
had fallen upon the farmers.
- - •

Sir Eardley Wilmot, M.P., referring to the la-
bourers' condition, spoke of the profits made on the
Continent by bee-keeping. Honey wai now imported
into this country duty free, and displaced what ought
to be the produce of our own people. He urged the
necessity of obtaining our supplies at home, and said
when the opportunity occurred be should say more
upon the subject.