Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-08-04
The proper time for Cutting
Grain.

time agitated regarding the state of
ripeness in which grain should be
cut and it has been recommended,
as a general rule of practice, to cut
down the crops before the upper
most grains can be shaken out.
" Taking all things into con-
sideraiion, il seems to be the most
prudent plan to have the grain cut
before it is fully ripe I; but in this
medium course should be adopted,
for although grain, if allowed TO be-
come too ripe, assumes dull, dus-
ky hue in the sample, yet if not
ripened enough, shrivels in the dry
ing"
In the Reports on Select Farms,
it is said in reference to the man
agement of the Scoresby farm, SUI
perintended by Mr.. G. Howard, that
=" Wheat never ought to be al
lowed to remain uncut until it is
fully ripe. Experiments, easily
made, will prove to every cultivator
Of il, that by permitting it to stand
until the straw has lost its succulen-
cy, he gains nothing in plumpness
or bulk of grain, bit loses much IN
color and fneness Of skin besides
which, he incurs the risk of Smelling
by high winds, or by its being cut
under the influence of a burning
sun. When fully ripened by stand
ing in the shock, no dry hour should
be lost in getting it well secured"
Loudon, the celebrated English
writer, whose views and opinions
upon all topics connected with agri-
culture are singularly logical and
correct, says on this subject:
ain harvesting wheat, the best
farmers, both in Britain and on the
Continent, agree that it ought to be
cut before it becomes dead ripe. -
When this is the case the loss is
considerable, both in the field and
in the stack yard; and the gram,
according to Won Thaer, produces
an inferior -four"
Cadet lie Vaux, French aulhor
of valuable and erudite treatise on
wheat, remarks:
"Corn (wheat) cut eight days
before the usual time, has the grain
fuller, larger, finer and better calcu-
lated to resist the attacks of the
wcevil" An equal quantity of the
grain thus reaped, with grain reap
ed at maturity, gave more bread,
and of a better quality. The prop
er time for reaping, is when the
grain, on being pressed between the
thumb and finger, has q doughty
appearance, like a crumb of bread
Just hot from the oven"
The philosophy of the usage rec
commended by the writers above
quoted, is not Immediately apparent
to every one. The question, in
deed, has frequently been asked in
our hearing" Will any valuable
accessions be made to the grain if
the wheat plant be detached from
the roots before the former has ar
rived at maturity Z" That is, to
resolve the query into somewhat
more familiar FORM" Will the
wheat, or other grain, so cut, receive
from the immature stalk, any assls-
lance in filling and maturing, and
will it, if cut when in milk, ripen
and be sound and nutricious as if
allowed to remain till fully ripef"
To the question thus demanded
we have no hesitation in replying
afiirhatively. We think that ex-
perience has plainly demonstrated,
that many important accessions are
made to Indian corn when the plant
is cut up and shocked at period of
its development when there is but
little sound corn in the field /; in
other words, when the ears are
green and immature. Most of the
southern corn brought to our mar
kets is shocked in this manner
This becomes necessary with the
planter to enable him to get in his
wheat crop. The corn is cut early,
placed in large shocks, often on the
burrows where it grew, and fire.
quently remains in that condition
for months; yet il comes to us hard,
sweet and sound.
We have seen oats cut when
there was not ripe or yellow head
in the field, and on threshing, and
comparing the grain with that from
field adjoining, in which the oats
had stood till fully ripe, have found
the former superior to the latter, not
only in point of weight, but in
brightness also. The philosophy
of this, late writer explains as fol-
lows
"A(ier the formation of the ear
has commenced the berry of the
kernel is the point to which all the
efforts Of nature are directed /; and
this is continued until the process is
complete, -the juices desiccated and
rendered incapable Of absorption
or The supply of nutritive matter ex-
hausted. As the juices become
thicker in consequence of the non
supply of sap from the root of the
plant, the deposition becomes more
active and rapid in the grain, so
long us it moves at all, or till the
kernel is filled which will in part
account for the fact that grain sew
cred from the root, after the proper
supply of nutriment for the kernel
4 L 4 4