The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-08-13

Go oOV pOuuuS VI OaIley OF cat straw 4tU
paunds of rye or wheat straw; 25 pounds
Of peas, beans, or vctch- seed; SO pounds
Of oats; and 500 pounds of green trcfoil,
Spanish trefnil or vrt"t"s
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune says:
Marry farmers are now cutting and thresh-
ing their fax, and are anxious to know
what to do with the straw. Heretofore,
most of it has been thrown away, or used
for thatching cattle sheds. This ought to
be the case no longer. In these days, when
cotton is so rapidly losing its imperial char
acter, we ought not, and must not, throw
away crop so valuable as the fax straw.
But you say, "what can l do with it ?"
answer briefly, cut it as near the ground
as possible, so as to get the greatest length
Of fibre; keep the straw straight, that is,
use ordinary care as you would with wheat
or oats, binding in small bundles as near
the butts as will do. If you have not the
best separator of the seed, (Which is ma.
chine such as is used for cleaning broom
corn) tramp it out with horses, not unbind-
ing the bundles. This will will leave thv
straw all in good shape for stacking, to BE-
treated further at your leisure, or you can
at once spread it upon some cleared field
near home, for dew-rotting, which after all
the experiments of theorists, is found to be
absolutely essential, as the first step in fax
manufacture. Where it has been thor.
oushly rotted and well dried, you can then
bind up and stack, and it will keep for
years. am well aware that many Of you
will say at once, ooh, can't afford to
spend so much time over it as that" Very
well, then, stack it carefully at once after
threshing. and rest assured that some en-
ttrprising Yankee will be around before
many months, who will buy it of you for
half its real worth, in all probability, but
for much more than it will bring you it
wasted as heretofore. The best mechanical
talent Of the land is now being directed to
the construction of machines for breaking
flax, and in few months almost every
good farmer who wishes, may buy ma
chine. with which his boys and girls can
prepare from $50 to $50 pounds Of lint pr
day during the winter months. Had ii
not been for fire in New York city that
consumed in few moments the results of
many years Of patient industry and expert
ments, our State would have been partially
supplied before harvest this year; but the
great desideratum, family fax breaker for
steam or horse power is sure to come. So
save your straw and wait patiently.
STACKING WnEAT.-As the harvest of
1862 is rapidly closing up, perhaps it
would not be improper fer US to say few
words to our readers about stacking wheat.
There are great many farmers who co
not know how to perform that part OF thei,
business, having been raised where brn,
were used to secure the op. But tn,re
are many more who perform it very care
lessly, either from general habit of care
lessness, or from the fact that they under
value that crop. This is wrong, entir ly
wrong. When farmer determines upon
raising particular crop, he should also,
determine to cultivate it as it should be,
and to take care Of it when it is matured
1t is true, that wheat is not q ve'y difficult
crop to raise, but, it requires very Gre ul
management to secure and keepit. Their
are thousands and tens of thousand, of
bushels Of wheat spoiled in our State, ev"
~ yesr, for the want Of proper attention
after II Is cut. If wheat is properly cui.u
and stacked, it is in as good order, (f not
better,) under ordinary circumstances, as if
packed in barn. No man should under
take to stack grain unless he understands
it. He had far better pay five dollars
day to man who does understand, than
run the risk of losing his crops by bad
stacking, which he is sure TO do, If he un-
dertakes to it without the necessary expe-
rience. The labor of the whole season, or
q great portion Of it, should not be sacri.
feed to that penurious spirit hich dictates
some men within our acquaintance. Nor
should carelessness in which many farmers
indulge, in other branches of their labors,
11 pcs Ifttc0 10 manifest ite0lf s., th;s.
Too much is depending upon the prcserva-
ton OF the wheat crop III our State, the
present season particularly, to permit one
busLel Of it to be wasted through ignorance
or carelessness. Heretofore we have pro-
baby wasted sufficient to pay the necessa.
~ revenue Of our State. This year the
expenses Of the army will greatly increase
the expenses Of the taxes and the care and
diligence Of the farmers, in the preservation
Of their grain when raised, should certain.
~ make difference Of the army tax. 1t
Is impossible tor us, on paper, to point out
the proper mode Of stacking wheat, but,
WSsS ~ vi tuc SiouIlu Wuen Sucking were
to be done, we have the vanity to believe
that We could do it. The great secret is, to
Keep the soater out Of the stuck Keep the
middle Of the stack higher than the out.
side, and keep it sotA mingled with the
sheaves as you pack them in, and cover the
top well with some material that will turn
the water of.
1t is tru. much wheat is spoiled after
threshing. II it is properly kept in the
stack, this need not be so but il allowed
to be drenched with rain before threshing,
1t is very apt to become musty afterward.
-l0pa H0mestead.
"AFTEs ALL" says modern writer, there
Is something about wedding gown pref
tier, than any other gown in the world!"
All the girls will agree to that. In fact,
lots Of 'em marry just for the sake of the
new "toggery." To them the bridal is
more attractive than the bridegroom, the
nilliner more interesting than the minister.
Men, however, take more substantial views
Of things. and would prefer to wed down.
right pretty girl without rag rather
than On ugly woman with as many gowns
q the executor found in Queen Elizabeth's
wardrobe That's the difference.