Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-06-04
.A. @raGulIl 1u.IraIle
RRoM THE souTHEas PLANTER.
HARVESTING. WHEAT.

Nh Idit0r,--As the time Of wheat harvest
in Virginia is near al hand, have thought il
probable to some Cal least the inegperenced) Of
gour numerous readers, the following conmu-
Dication might not be undressing.
In Mr. EliswoHb's Report, Of 1916, from the
Patent Office, on page l76, Gen. Harmon, Of
New York, in speaking Of the proper time Of
harvesting, says .'Io BE- the most valuable
for the millers. wheat should be cut as soon as
the berry has passed from Us milky TO its
dough state Wheat cut then contains more
of tho gluten, and less starch. II suffered to
stand until the berry becomes hard. the glu-
ten is diminished and the starch increased,
which reduces the quantity and qualify Of the
FOUR
At page dl2 Of the same Report. Mr.. John
Hannah, Of North Deighton, in Yorkshire,
England, records the following experiment,
made 1912:
ale cut grain fully ripe, two days before
ripe, two weeks, three weeks and four weeks.
which specimens are numbered / 2, 3, 4, and
5, beginning with the greenest
No. l. 100 pounds gave flour rs pounds,
shorts pounds, bran II pounds.
No q 100 pounds gave -four rs pounds,
shorts7 pounds, bran rs pounds
No. g. 100 pounds gave -four so pounds,
shorts pounds, bran 3 pounds.
No. 4. 100 pounds gave -four II pounds,
shorts pounds, bran a pounds.
No. 5. 100 pounds gave -four 72 pounds,
shorts pounds, bran Is pounds.
No. 3, which was cut two weeks before
ripe. give eight per cent more flour than NO.
8. cut ripe. The ripe gave the least OF all
The weight Of -four in equal measures OF
wheat was fifteen per cent. in favor of No. 3,
over No. 5, or the green over the ripe"
/ ,,racu,on Mr. Editor tbat tho ,1fholo
cret Of the gain in -four of the unripe wheat is
revealed in the last clause. and so far from this
plans promoting the interest OF the grower, II
will be found a runous loss to him, at the
same time it is a material benefit TO the miller.
made an experiment on portion OF my crop
of wheat last year, by cutting it in that state
represented as No 3, not two weeks before
ripe, but with the straw yellow foot or more
from the ground, which conditionappeared five
OF six days before ripening, The consequence
was, my wheat shriyeed, the size of the grain
was much reduced, and il felt much lighter
the conviction upon my mind was, that lost
twenty five per cent. in measure and weight,
the consequence aceruing to the wheat was, as
far as could be Judged from its appearance, that
OF wheat badly rusted. ! was lead 20 this eX-
pertinent by two inducements my wheat was
on flat land subject to nundati6n and the ear
from this cause the other was the statement
of Mr.. Hannam's experiment.
tbs a very general impression with wheat.
growers, and remark ! have often heard
made, that the rust can materially injure the
crop, if ii occur only a few days before har-
vest.
cannot see, sir, any difference between the
supply of food required to mature the grain.
beng cut off by the rust or the scythe both
conceive equally effective in accomplishing
the same result. am aware that a vague and
undefnable impression has gone abroad
amongst farmers that, upon an attack OF rust
the nutriment already acquired by the grain
recedeS, and is lost by evaporation through the
incsions made by rust in the straw and am
also aware that an impression prevails. that
when cut green, the straw supplies food for lis
maturity; neither position can be maintained
by reason nor common sense. An opinion
conceded by all, and clearly borne out by prac-
teal results. Is, that the greatest effort required
by the land in growing a crop, IS IN maturing
the seed shen how unreasonable at the very
period when the heaviest requlSuon IS made
upon the land, to defeat the whole purpose by
removing the crop.
The proper time for harvesting is when the
upper Joint of the straw is yellow, but not dry
the wheat is then ripe, and by cutting at this
period the chaff has not expanded so as TO adj
init waste by Smelling. When wheat is thresl-
ed it should be kept in the chaff, and winuow-
ed only as required for mill or market. BY
pursuing this course, YOU have neither injury
from weavil nor heat, and the loss from rats,
both quadruped and biped, is efIectually pre-
vented. X. II. ;.
.Notto,cay, april 90. 1876