Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-07-27
when should Grain be Gut

IHOMAS BURNS.
when should Grain be Cutg
A most important question, Just at
this time, for the Northern farmer
Careful observation, and some little ex-
perience during twenty years residence
In great wheat-growing country, has
convinced the writer that it is fully ten
per cent profit on the crop to the farmer
to cut his wheat before the grain is fully
ripe. Our rule is, ommence cutting as
soon as the earliest part of the crop has
passed from the milky into the dough
state. There is no occasion to let it lay
ito cure, when cut, while the straw is
still partially green. Bind it up as fast
as cut, and set the bundles in stocks,
"Dutch fashion, that is, two and two
leaning together, dozens, or twenties, or
any given number, SO as to give an even
count. Set in this way, the most I'M
ripe grain will cure and perfect itself.
The advantages are,-the grain is
heavier, sweeter and winter there is
no loss of shattered grain; the straw,
where that is an object, in SO much bet
ter feed as to make it worth while to cut
early, even if there were loss on the
grain, which is not the case.
For seed, the best portion Of the field
should be set apart and left to mature
until fully ripe, and then carefully cut by
hand, and very carefully handled, be-
cause the very grains which should be
saved for seed, are the ones most easily
shattered. Give these bundles slight
threshing, and give the grain athorough
winnowing; screen out all but the most
plump kernels, and sow those for your
next crop, and you will succeed in i'm
proving both quality and product.
This question of "when should grain
be cut" has been agitated for many
years, both in this country and Europe,
and no doubt many reader will exclaim,
"what is the use Of writing anything
more about that-don't everybody know
all about it ?" No, sir. You know,
perhaps, or what is the same thing to
you, you think you do, and won't learn
any more, but somebody else will. You
forget, or else, in your self .conceited
folly, you don't think, that about ten per
cent. of all the farmers who ever make
any advances in the science of farming,
are not to the manor born do not pos
sess a sort of intutiye knowledge how
to do just "as father did, and never do
or think Of doing anything else.
There is at the present day vast
number Of people in this country just
beginning to learn farming. Such per-
sons want constant succession of les
sons-even old ones repeated are fresh
to them, though they may be stale to you.
This theory Of cutting grain, before
| it is fully ripe, is no new one.
In the I'd volume of British Hus-
bandry, PIP. 1856, 1877, it is said:
The question has been for some time
agitated regarding the state of ripeness
on which grain should be reaped and
| it has been recommended, as a general
rule of practice, to cut down the crop
before the uppermost grain can be sha-
ken out. Taking all things into consid-
Grafton, it seems to be the most prudent
plan to have the grain cut before it is
fully ripe; but in this a medium course
should be adopted; for although grain,
if allowed to become too ripe, assumes
a dull, husky hue in the sample, yet, if
not ripened enough, it shrivels in the
drying.
Cadet de Vaux asserts that "Grain
reaped eight days before the usual time,
has the berries larger, fuller and finer,
and better calculated to resist the at
tacks of the weevil. An equal quanti-
ty of the corn thus reaped, with corn
reaped at maturity, gave more bread and
of better quality. The proper time
for reaping, is that when the grain, on
being pressed between the fingers, has
a doughty appearance, like crunb of
bread just hot from the oven.'
Mr.. G. Howard, in the Report on
Select Farms says: Wheat ought never
to be allowed to remain uncut till it is
fully ripe. Experiments, easily made,
will Prove to every cultivasor of it, that
by permitting it to stand until the straw
has lost its succulency, he gains nothing
in plumpness, or bulk Of gain, but loses
much in its color and fneness of skin
besides which, he incurs the risk of
Smelling, by the high wind,or by its being
cut under the influence of burning sun.
When fully ripened by standing in the
shoks, no dry hour should be lost in get
ting it well secured.
London observes that Sin harvesting
Wheat, the best farmers, both in England
and on the continent, agree that it ought
to be cut before it becomes dead ripe
When this is the case, the loss is con-
siderable both in the field and in the
stack-yard; and the grain, according to
Won Thayer, produces aninferior flour. "
An experienced Pennsylvania farmer
Of our acquaintance always cuts his oats
while the straw is green. This he
learned to do, contrary to all old prac-
tice of his father and ell hi. me- ghbors.
by accident. His hay crop was short
one year, and he determined 10 cut his
oats green; that is, FIVE or six days too
soon, as he thought, losing the grain for
the sake of the straw. For seed, he
left strip through the middle of the
field, where the oats were best. The
grain Of those cut was just in the dough |,
and milling state and he eynected theyt