The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-06-08
The Gtnpnria Men.si.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1861. g
lFrom the Albany Cultivator.
CUTTING AND CURING GRAIN


On N8
Experiments have pretty well settled the
fact that wheat should be cut while the grain
is in the state called sloaghy. The co1clu
sion was, indeed, reached several wears
since in regard to wheat, but it has. by the
experiments of Voeicker, been early shown
to be equally applicable to oats and il is
also known. to be equally applicable to In
dian corr. at frst. it was feared by some
that there would be great shrinkage Of
grain, when cut in this stage, which would
amount to absolute loss. It is proved,
however, that the sap of the stumps of
straw is sufficient to perfect the grain, and
that the grain, under such circumstances,
even possesses some valuable properties
which it has not when it remains uncut till
dead ripe.
Mr.. Colman states that he found by
many inquiries in England that the "best
rule for harvesting is not when the stalks
below the head have changed color, and
the circulation has consequently ceased,
but when the grain, though it has ceased
to yield any milk upon the pressure, is yet
soft" The advantages Of cutting at this
stage are briefly given as follows Wheat
cut early affords more grain. yields less
bran, makes better -four, wastes less in
cleaning, gives better straw, and enables
the farmer to work more leisurely.''
c. w. Johnston, in the Farmers Ency-
cIopgdia observes "Grain, IL not reaped
until the straw is wholly yellow, will be
more than ripe, as the ear, generally, ex-
cept in the late seasons, ripens before the
entire of the straw, and it is observable that
the first reaped usually affords the heaviest
and fairest sample.
"The indications of ripeness in the wheat
are few and simple When the straw ex-
hibits bright golden color, from the bot
tom OF. the stem nearly to the ear, or when
the ear begins to bend gently. the grain
may be cut. But as the whole crop will
not be equally ripe at the same time, if on
walking through the field and selecting the
greenest heads the kernels can be separated
from the chaf when rubbed through the
hands, it is, a~suFe sign that the grain is
then out of its milky. state, and may be
reaped with safety; for, although the straw
may be green to some distance downward
from the ear, yet if it be quite yellow from
the bottom upward. The grain, then wants
no further nourishment from the earth, and
if properly harvested will not shrink
These tokens win be found to sufficiently
indicate the ripeness of wheat, barley and
oats but that of rye arises from the straw
losing some of its golden hue and becom-
ing paler.'' al - .,.r-,.y
Some, of ths.nost valuable experiments
which have been made on this subject, are
those of Mr.. Hannah, in the 12th and 18th
volumes of the Quarterly Journal Of Agrs-
cultstre. T The trials were under his own
direction, and made with great care. He
cut samples ofwheat at FIVE different times.
No. 8, which was cut two weeks before fully
ripe, was superior to the other lots-giving
more per bushel than No. 8 (cut when fully
ripe) by 81 pounds of -four, and a gain of
about fifteen per cent of the -four of equal
measure of grain 100 pounds of wheat of
No. made 80 pounds of -four, while 100
pounds of No 5. yielded 72-showing an
average of 8 per cent. in favor of No. g.. In
grinding, it was found that No. 5 ground
the worst. There were in No. 5 a greater
quantity of flinty particles which would
not pass, the bolt. than in any other of
the lots The bran from No. 5 was also
much, thicker and heavier than that OF
No. 8. '-- IL
Mr.. Hannah concludes, therefore. that in
cutting wheat two weeks before it is fully
ripe, there is gain of fifteen per cent OF
flour upon equal measure, gain of fourteen
per cent. IN the "eiSht sIra"' anu a gam W
rs. IS. sterling in the value of every quar-
ter (56o) of wheat. Many trials have been
made in this country in cutting wheat at
various stages. and the results agree, gen
orally with those above given.
But when. grain is cut before it is ripe, it
is necessary that it should undergo a pro-
cess of curing, before it can be safely stored
in barn or stack Hence it is usual to place
the sheaves in shock for several days, &C
cording to the state of the weather, or the
degree of moisture in the straw. But it
sometimes happens that loss is oceasioned
more or less by the sprouting of the grain
while it stands in the shock-especially IN
warm, shoWery or damp weather. Io
guard as well as possible against loss from
this cause, the shocks should be put up IN
the best manner.