Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-30

WQe0
ereenest state of any These shocks have kept both
fodder and corn in good condition as need be-
The only exceptions that In the middes of some
Of the larger shocks the fodder some few stalks is
mou1dy; and in the largest (and too large) shocks
and In VERT rare cases, some ears also had moulded
early though they had not rotted, and had become
quite dry before being put in the cart. Probably
these moudy ears if all the stalks having mouldy
fodder, were too green when cut down. For lattery
have had none of the greenest left for later secu-
ring When few scattering late plants are left
standing they are very liable to be blown down. and
to be hidden in the weeds pea vines and rot
be lost To avoid such loss, and also the trouble of
separate gathering from the few late stalks, pre-
fer to cut them down with the ripper bulk of the crop
But, of course, when such green stalks cut down.
the soft grain must shrink, though not than
if the fodder had all been taken off and the stalk left
standing. And this is done in the usual operation
of pulling fodder, it is impossible to make igno
rant and careless hands omit stripping cutting
the tops of the too green plants. Further-the too
green corn when cut down and put in the middle of
shock. even though the grain may not show per-
ceptible loss by shrinking will be apt to be touched
with mouldiness. just the ears when gathered
much later Though still not dry enough for housing)
and shocked and put away in the barn In any mode
of securing, many ears are always found mouldy,
and many rotten. All such cases, taken together,
are believed to be not only few, but fewer in my
mode of shocking corn, than in any other usual
mode of taking care of the crop For it, after taking
|
cut down and shocked, as usual, to wheat these
fat-topped shocks do not exclude rain. The of
corn not only exposed to rain but closely
compacted together that they dry with difficulty
And when made large as required for convenience,
| have known serious damage to the early in
the shocking, by the corn moulding; and in other
cases, still greater late damage from rotting, in
very rainy season. and with consequent late gather
ing. And if wheat is not to succeed the corn, and
so the corn is left standing sngly the stalks until
mn lied in there a
feren kind, but great risk of loss by rottng
for many small broken off in the labors Of
taking off and removing the fodder, and which being
mostly left on the ground rot of course. Many 9TH
er stalks fall, are blown down, and their ears,
touching the earth, more or less damaged. Rain
enters many of the gaping shucks and Injuries the
exposed grain And lastly, when pulling off the
ears from the standing Cor fallen) stalks
left by oversight carelessness; and more, after
being pulled off, overlooked and left scattered
bout in the then tall grass after growth So that
the losses of grain which attend my plan if pc
culiar to it, certainly not greater, and probably
are much less than those incident to the different
usual procedures.
There was one year only. in the seven which
have followed this method either principally or
clusvely in which much risk was incurred, and
much damage suffered by the fodder But even this
exception was brought on unnecessarily by my too
great confidence induced by previous uniform
cess and the failing to the for safety here
directed as necessary. The causes of loss. and the
manner, will be stated particularly. In 1916 nearly
| the whole growing season for remarkably
rainy and the crop was luxuriant and the green
state of the plant continued late The cutting down
| and shocking was begun on August l7th on which
day several hasty showers fell. The two next days
| (l8th and 19th) were also less rainy. The
cutting down and shocking proceeded without re-
gardng wetness from rains or dews, except in the
times when rain falling too fast for outdoor
work. Moreover from want of care, much corn was
included in the cutting down that was too green
Rains again occurred, in showers varying from heavy
to light, on the 22d 23d, and oath of August-on
the last of which three only the cutting of
removed. On the 18th. steady rain fell all the day
and from the 25th to 30th inclusive, every day
rainy less and all the intervals to the 3Oth
cloudy, foggy Or misty. Having found that damage
had occurred, the 31st the first day of clear and
drying weather, began to search for and open the
damaged shocks Nearly all which had been put
up wet, and in the first days. were found Gas then
noted in my farm journaD damp the interior hav
ing funky smell and spots of the stalks blades and
shucks mouldy Not much affected, but deem
ed in danger. if the weather should not continue
clear and drying. The wetness mostly on the west
side, into which the heaviest rain had been driven
by strong wind" After opening shocks and imme-
diately rebuilding them. of smaller size, for some
hours it was deemed unnecessary to continue the
operation regularly generally, and only some of
the largest those known to have been put up wet,
were afterwards opened. All the remaining, and
much the greater number of shocks, dried as they
stood, and the moulding proceeded no further. Even
most of the opening that was done might have been
dispensed with, the fine weather would have soon
dried the shocks Still the fodder of all the Shocks
put up before this wet spell, was considerably nju-
red, though not more than would have occurred
to pulled fodder, in the same uncommon wet wealth
err To that time had cut off the whole length of
stalks and the stalks set more out around the
supports open, and of tie bases of the
shocks were broader and the sides slopng than
in my later practice. The then different construc-
ton served to admit driving rain freely.
For the remainder of the season of 1916 and in
the four years since, have aimed to profit by the
lesson Of danger then learned and to avoid the worst
errors then committed and no subsequent damage,
or loss worth consideration, greater than would
have been suffered in any other procedure, has since
occurred. The stalks cut higher and made to
stand more upright and the shocks stand much bet
ter. Smaller shocks also contain many stalks
when cut high than low. The cutting of stalks is
heavy dew; Or if cut, or lying wet, the middle of
shocks (say $50 to 200 staks) only put up, and
stand to dry, before more stalks added to
plete the shocks. Care should also be used (and
has not always been, in my operations not to cut
down before the time above prescribed and the
green stalks necessarily included in the general cut
ting not to be placed in the middle of the shock
The base of the shock ought not to be more than
feet in diameter. With these requisites observed,
this operation will be found safe as any other sub
ject to the influence of the weather.
The only serious difficulty that have found, is not
in respect to the safe preservation of either the
or the fodder so long remaining in the Shocks but
of the fodder after gathering the Before this
year have stacked the stalks CATER pulling off or
shocking out the ears in long and tall ricks But