Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-06-12
A G RIG LII o AL,

: ever may be the opinion, such is the
IS general practice. This is an error,
e and one of no little consequence
J. and we offer some considerations,
If which, if understood, will, we trust,
: set this matter in aclearer Light
Let us first loook at one or two les
sons plainly told us by chemistry.
Wood, starch, sugar and gum are
almost exactly alike in their compo-
sition. The same elements that put
together in one form produce sugar,
J. if arranged differently would make
: wood, and if arranged in still other
methods, they would produce starch
or gum. To illustrates: suppose
four men should each have 100000
bricks, 1000 bushels of sand, 600
bushels of lime, 10000 feet of Ium-
Der, including beams, boards, shin
giles, &C., three hundred pounds of
nails, and 100 lbs of unmixed paints
of two or three different colors.-
Now suppose these four men, hav.
ing precisely the same amounts of
the different materials or elements,
set about putting up four structures,
each having different object in
view. One might construct an ele-
giant cottage dwelling, the second
a church, the third barn, and the
Fourth prison; and by mixing and
applying the paints differently, each
of these structures would differ
from the others so much in form
and color, that one might be sup
posed to be built of stone, another
of brick, a third of iron, and fourth
of wood and they would be as un-
like in form, color, and outward APP
pearance, as starch, gum, sugar, and
wood. Either of these buildings
might be taken down, and by SIM
ply re-arranging the materials, be
changed to the form, shape, and col
or of one of the other buildings, and
be made like it in every particular.
Just so can pound of wood be
changed to pound of sugar. We
heve often taken board weighing
a pound, and by chemical process
re-arranged the elements, and chan
ged the same board to pound of
sugar. Just so pound of starch,
gum, or sugar, can be changed to a
pound of wood. By artificial means
this change is somewhat expensive,
but in the natural laboratory of the
cells and tubes of plant, it is daily
going on upon a large scale, al
though the elements are in them
selves so small, that the change is
not preceptible to the human Wis
ion.
We are not stating theories but
absolute facts. While a stalk or
grain is unripe it contains but lit
tie woody fiber, and its pores or
cells are filled with sugar, starch
and gum. The presence of sugar
is readily perceived by the sweet
taste of soft kernels of corn and
other grains, and it is also found a.
bundantly in the sap of the stalks
The starch and gum are not so read
lily perceived by the taste, though
they are easily shown to be present.
Now as the grain and stalks ripen,
large portion of the starch, gum
and sugar is changed into woody
fibre. If the natural growth of the
plant be arrested by cutting it, this
change is stopped, and it dries up,
with its pores filed up with starch,
gum and sugar, and there is COM
paratively little hard woody matter.
But we know that the three sub
stances first named are digestible
nourishing articles of food, while
the fourth-woody fbre-is compar-
atively indigestible, and is on this
account little nourishing. Here,
then, is plain reason why all such
grasses and grains, as are designed
for food for animals should be gath
cred beforethey are fully ripe, that
is, while they contain a large a.
mount of digestible matter. Wheat,
for an example, if cut eight or ten
days before fully ripe, contains a
large proportion of starch, with a
thin skin and will yield a large a.
mount of -four; but when it is fully
ripe it is covered with thick, hard
woody skin, or bran, which has been
formed out of part of its starch,
and it will then yield much small
er proportion of -four. The same
may be said off its sugar and gum
This reasoning applies equally to
other grains as well as to straw,
corn-stalks, grasses, &C.
Those portions of the grain which
are to be used solely for re-produ-
cling the plant-and this is the nat
ural design of all seeds-may be
left to ripen naturally. The woody
coating is designed as a protecting
covering.
Having thus endeavored to state
very briefly some of the reasons for
cutting grain early-and it must be
to every one to under
stand these reasons-we will clost
this article with two or three rules
which are not only sustained by the
Dry, but have been fully proved by
careful practice and experiment.
1st. All grasses should be cut as
soon as possible after lowering
Much more than is gained in weight
after this, is lost by the conversion
of the nourishing substances into
lard, woody matter.
I'd. Corn, wheat, and all other
grains designed for food should be
gathered eight to twelve days before
'ullv ripe A simple method OF de-
this, is to try the kernels
With the thumb nail. Let the gath
ring commence immediat ely after
he milk begins to harden, but
While the kernel still yields to
centle pressure of the nail.
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