Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-07-16
From the Genesee Farmer.
HINTS nv HARVESTING

wheat while still green--say ten or Twelve
days before fully ripe. The principal reasons
adduced are--l The grain and straw contain
starch and sugar portion of which, when
the wheat is allowed to get fully ripe, is con-
verified into woody fiber or bran; and that,
consequently, fully ripe wheat yields more
bran and less. -four than that cut green. 2.
The straw, when cnt green, is Of more value
as food for stock. 3. There is less loss by
Smelling. 4. It gives longer time for har-
vest operations.
That there is some loss Of starch by allow
ing grain to get fully ripe is quite probable
but that il is as much rs has been frequently
stated. there is no evidence. One thing is GER
tain-that ifwheat is cut too green, it shrinks
and yields un inferior sample. On the other
hand, when fully ripe, the quality is some
what deteriorated, and there is frequently
much loss from shAling. We know Of no
better general rule, than TO cut wheat as soon
as the grain becomes solid. Press a grain
between the thumb and finger; and if there
i no milk in the berry, the wheat is ready Ia
cut. Then, with our rapid-working haryes-
tiers, all the wheat can be cut down before il
has lime 10 become fully ripe.
The same remarks will apply To barley. As
soon as the sapin the grain disappears, though
the berry is still quite soft, it will do 10 cut.
The general rule is to cut as soon rs the red.
dish color Of the ear bends down TO the straw
and is apt 10 break of in moving and subse.
quent operations, causing much loss Still,
for mating purposes, barley cut when flllly
ripe il preferred. The same is true of wheat
when used for seed sit should be allowed to
growth quite ripe. tits better torUn the risk
ola little loss than to cut too early
Oats are generally cut wien rather ersea.
on the whole, taking into Consideration the
increased value of the straw q fodder, tits il
q good plan though TO obtain the best sam
pie Of oats, it Is advisable to let them get full
" ripe, even till few Of the lowest berries
i'll the car shell out.
Binding is too often done carelessly 1t is
hard and unpleasant work, and is performed
in hurried manner Too bind well and "a
pdly, requires slsllful hand and consider.
able practice Some binders leave more wheat
Oil the ground than would pay the wages Of
better men, and their sheaves SO often tumble
to pieces as greatly TO impede the future Op
erations Of pitching, unloading, and thresh
ing The sheaves should not be too large a.
Tie straw is longer IN curing. We have seeI
wheat bound too tight--so tight that the straw
under the band remained damp for severa
days after loosely bound sheayes were quite
fiji TO stack, But stjs not often that an errol
is committed in this direction.
Shocking should be performed with care
do,s, i,,I,,,, ~
~ ,,ntattid ,rstr ,acb Lass SIR 90
,ast os1s5E shn,,ia tsaob ~ n n, ,nnr., oars
ri 4, I'M ses,,n"t Wha.t nro,,,,rlr sbooieaa
IN, ~, ~, ~ tl hi H.
sari o,rn,rrd oa, no. w II E NY s,i
49, throg ~ ~ as,hin .on :, an
uninjured while other wheat, carelesslJ
shocked, was one-haf sprouted.
a,5 ,5o1 $500, I'M. X; m ~ neAs
!, ortairI ~, a.t,.st ,la, W. -, q
~ l. Ian3 e ha,,id a ti p.'i i, W. NV
e ','' "a H. ~. H. tils
III, ia,,1 49, ~ ,, ~ - ~ eoess Gu
M ,a, go 4 ~, r. III ,a. H.. III
a., ,,' sii,, $500 ,5 r. .iias We!
= i,oi, ',ai d T., 81 pia''io'
iiuSu r,oie Snei;ai ti.aii WIN paileS
a4.t ~ i1 lVg"is "te w v1'g I; '9 pleas
aiisgst y haltes la1'ts, W nv 70 see lh'