Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1804-06-22

US any appearance !" VtSHtt AuIs "a
YouNG thinks, that farmers cannot cut
their wheattoo early. He remarks, that
the green state ofthe straw is no indica-
ton that the grain is immature because
the straw Of blighted corn never acquires
a bright yellow colour but. remains
green till It becomes black. When the
stalk Is in this condition, the circulation
of the sap ceases and the grain daily
decreases in size. He therefore advises
the wheat to be cut; laid down in the
stubble {; exposed to the dew /; frequent-
~ turned and, when perfectly dry, the
grain may be tied up in sheaves, and car
ried to the barn. Thus, thousands of
bushels may be annually saved, that
might afford good marketable grain; part
ofwhich would otherwise neverbe thrash
ed out of the ears, while the remainder
would be so light and brittle, as to be
dispersed in 1uinno1uing. II -
The following observations upon har.
vesting wheat, and on the mildew de-
serve attention. - IT. - - ).
" What stage Of ripeness Is the best
for cutting wheat, is not ascertained in
America but / have seen enough of
cutting early to be convinced that It COM
monty is suffered to stand too long. "a
At the time of reaping, we generally
have clear sky and peculiar driving
air, which in some harvests ripen wheat
very suddenly, so that the plants from
an apparent state of vigour, are killed in
a day or two, and receive no further nou-
'rishment from the root or blade and
even the stems become exhausted of the
nourishment which they had imbibed, so
that it could not reach the ear or grain.
If with this sudden heat and drying state
of the air, the plants be struck with rmst,
and are still suffered to stand longer, the
grain, receiving no more neurishment,
can never FIJI but by cutting it Instantly,
and setting it sheltered to cure gradual
ly, the best chance is had for obtaining
marketable good wheat. 81 -.
"'Fhe reaPing corn 10 or IL days ear
lier than my neighbours (says Mr.. PAR
k1NsoN) is an advantage have attended
to. AS corn begins to decay first at the
root, all the nourishment it can receive,
while standing uncut, after the decay of
the root, must be derived from the straw.
The dews may feed the grain at one
time !; but ruhen nearly ripe and the root
drcayed, the sun aud wind have so much
power as to ripen it too. quickly, or
scorch or dry it before its natural period
of maturity. ~ .. =, --...-
Riding on the. road about harvest
time, he observed q field of wheat that
had taken the mildew. The straw was
Of a remarkably deep green, and instead
ofbeing dead, appeared to have great
er verdure; though after such appearan-
&c comes on, it never receives any nou-
rishment or grows larger. Instead
whereofthe sfra1v becomes distempered,
spotted and discoloured. The sooner Il
is then cut the better. He took ~ ears
Of wheat, which, as wen as the. straw,
were green a. grass, and at the same
time miLdewed. A great deal Of rain
had fallen the forepart Of the day but
the ears Of wheat were pretty dry. He
tied them in bunch, intending to hang
them up in his house to dry and ripen.---
Several weeks afterwards, having been
forgot, he took them out efhss great coat
pocket when the straw was found TO be
still green. The grain was then rubbed
out, and to his establishment he never
saw better. 1t was fine in colonr and
well filed but what remained in the
field, from which he took these ears, was
very small and Of little value. This Is q
strong case, which ought to make amin.
pression on the minds Of our farmers
He adds-From hence it would seem,
that if the farmers would cut their wheat
when il is struck with mildew. and set it
up in the field in small stacks Of about a
cart load each, so as neither to heat nor
mold, il would be better than 10 let il
stand, as Is the practice, uncut. h =
!" He had At the same time, taken II
ears from an adjoining ripper field, which,
Swera ika.wssa E0,x,nl =. al 4. Il y.