Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-10-01
Harvesting Corn.

A great dealls SAID about the different
modes Of harvesting corn. The old meth
cd is to cut the stalks, when the corn is
nearly ripe, in order 10 let in the sun to
ripen the corn. Some modern farmers
have improved upon this method, as many
believe, by cutting the plants up at the
ground when the grain is nearly ripe, and
putting it into stocks and when it is we'll
dried, the whole is carried into the barn
and husked.
We are in favor of the'latter mode, and
the following are few of our reasons for
the preference. In the first place, we
would premise that the whole plant, the
top as we'll as root, is necessary TO the per-
fiction of the grain, and when the corn is
so ripe that the plant may be mutilated so
far as to cut off the top without injury,
the root may be cut off without injury
likewise.
We will now show the advantages of
the new mode. By cutting up at the
ground, or cutting off the root, there is far
less labor than in cutting stalks. One
blow of the knife will cut up hill, but
in cutting stalks there must be as many
operations TO hill as it contains stalks.
Pieces of corn, Of about fifty bushels to
the acre, and thickly planted, so tina: there
were five or six thousand hills to the acre,
have been cut up at the ground at fifty
cents per acre, or by half days labor.
This would require diligent labor, we
acknowledge. About the same labor is
required to tie up, carry together. and
stock. Now, we would ask, who can in
one day, with moderate labor, cut up, and
stock the top stalks on an acre, and IN
due time gather the corn, and cut up the
butt stalks, and forward the harvesting,
SO that the whole can be gathered IN as
quickly as the corn can be hauled in when
all is cut up together? We claim great
advantage for the modern mode IN point
Of economy in labor. There is no loss
of grain by cutting up at the ground and
there is great saving IN the butt stalks
which become much injured by storms,
sun, and wind, and other wear and tear.
Besides the usual advantage of cutting
I'D corn, there is a great advantage IN this
mode of harvesting, in saving u from
frost, when it ripens late. Corn that IS
only full in the milk, may be cutuP when
= frost seems to be at hand, and 1t will
make GOOD sweet bread, though rather
LIGHT: while, if struck with frost at so
early stage, it is not fit for man or beast
1t is not worth harvesting, for even the
pigs will refuse it.
If corn be cut up on the eve ola frost,
it will not be injured by lying in heaps on
the ground. We have saved corn from
frost by cutting it by moonlight, when
the state Of the weather indicated hard
frost.
We now give the mode of securing
corn as practised by Mr.. W. Salisbury,
orMedfeld. and trust that it will be useful
TO MANY of our readers. He cuts his corn
when the grain is glazed. Provide good
firm stake, and bore two holes at sulta"
BILE height, as you can Judge from eXPe-
Renee. These holes should cross each
other, and one should be Just above the
other. Into these holes put small iron
rods: wooden rods will answer by hav-
ing them larger. The rods will form a
cross.
Stick down this stake, then take the
corn, about twenty-five hills. without
binding into bundles, and place it equally
around the stake, between the arms or
rods extending fromit. Equally balanced
and properly adjusted, it will stand. Re
move the stake, and hug close around the
stock, to press the whole gently together;
bend over the tops, and tie them down,
and it is done.
One stalk will answer Cor the whole
niece. There will be no Wondering I'M
der the bands, but the whole will be ex-
posed 10 the air, and become well cured.
These stocks will generally stand the
wind and the storms il well done it sell
dom fails. The fodder will be fine, and
the grain excellent.
Some object to cutting up stout corn !;
but Mr.. s. remarks HAT lie secured a
niece in tlls way last September, that
produced, on a litle less than an acre and
a half. one hundred and nincty-two bas'
kets Of ears, which would make half a
bushel or more to each basket. lie hauls
in his corn loose, laying the stocks all
tocether into the cart, and sets II up loose