The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-07-24
For thc Gasc.se.
STACKING WHEAT.

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STACKING WHEAT.
/ As this il the season 10 harvest wheat u
few remarks on stacking may not come
amiss. am confident that the farmers Il
Scott county have sustained an annual loss
Of not less than five thousand dollars on &C.
count Of the imperfect and careless manner
in which they have stacked their wheat.
II the farmers, or a, least a majority 81
them, will bat look back for tho last few
years and call to mind the prices that the,
obtained tor their damp, sprouted wheat,
they viii! consider my estimate ditheir los
ses even too low. Damp and sprouted
wheat sells in this market at from FIVE to
ten cents, and in ST. Louis from eight to
fifteen cents per bushcl less than the same
wheat would sell il sound.
will make an estimate, and base my
calculations on tho seasons Of 1917 and
| '4S, as | was then in the market and know
| its condition and the results. The two
seasons yielded about three hundred thou
sand bushels Of wheat. Two-thirds Of this
wheat was more or less damaged; place the
average loss on the damaged wheat at five
cents per bushel, and It will show a loss t.
the farmer Of ten thousand dollars, ! am
confident that full. twothirds of the wheat
harvested during this time was either inju-
red by getting wet ia tho stack, or from
bleaching in the field alter being cut. In
many instances it was slowed in rail pens
to damage after being ihreshed. Wheat
after being frequently wet, or bleached,
makes but small yield Of bad flour, which
is generally condemned when il reaches
market, at loss to the miller, OF one dol.
lar per barrel, while at the same time our
reputation is injured. Ten bushels Of dam
aged wheat will injnre one hundred bush
els Of good wheat, when mixed with ii; nor
does the evil end here, the health, the lives
.! the community are pat in jeopardy by
using flour manufactured from nnsound
and decayed wheat This description Of
wheat has bsen thrown into the market in
such large quantities that i, is impossible
to avoid using it.
! will give the farmer my plan Of stack
ing wheat. First, raise platform Of rails
or boards few inches above the ground,
to prevent the water from running under
and into the bottom of the stack and the
damp arising from the earth entering the
stack. Grain should never be placed on
the bare ground, as it generally is in this
vicinity; as j, is sure to attract moisture,
especially in we, season. Rise the cen
ire OF the stack higher than the outer edge
Immediately on commencing. and keep il
all the time the highest. Build up your
stack by commencing at the outer edge
and work inward to the centre, putting
down every sheaf precisely as you would
shingles on house, letting the inner or
upper sheavcs lap on the lower or outer
sheais; thus you build roof Upon roof 10 the
very summit. If you should wish the cen
ire to gain more rapidly than the outer
edge commence onc,lour,h, one half, or any
distance that you may wish from the cen.
ire, and work inwardiy, pointing your
sheaves as near as possible from the centre
outward. Avoid building up any portion
square and leaving the balance o! The ward
down, as this breaks Tho connection and
The water must pass downward instead Of
Dii.. To work from the centre outward is
precisely the same as commanding to shin
gle house al the top and working down
wards. Place your knee firmly upon each
sheaf and press j, down snug and tight, and
after you finish your stack top il out with
a small quantity Of long prairie hay, lash
il on securely and ms word for il your
wheat will not sprout in the stack.
! hive frequently observed grain in this
vicinity so carclessly thrown together and
the centre left SO loose and open that il Ind
settled inwardiy, forming complete fun
mel on the top, andnl the outer sheaves
we're pitching towards the centre TO carry
the rains into the stack Yours,
A. G. f.