Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-14
Harvesting Buekwheat.

GENERALLY speaking, where the land
is in good condition, other crops pay bet
ter in their immediate retur n, and always
leave the land in better heart, than buck
wheat But to subdue new lands, or to
kill the weeds out Of old, no crop ia so
valuable.
The beet soil for buck wheat is light
sandy loan, but it will grow nearly ever
ywhere, and the crop is always meas
ured not 30 much by the soil as the sea-
son. II the autumn is dry, the blooms
will be abundant, but the kernels scarce,
seven-eighths failing to fill. In most To-
calities this year, if the farmers gather as
much as they sowed, they will do well.
The unequal rlpening Of This gfain--some
of the seeds being in condition to be
ground while there are hJwers on the
same stalk-makes the exercise of good
Judgment as to the time of cutting unusu-
ally needful.
AS a general thing, when 1t has ceased
1)wering, and most OF the green heads
are full, or When there is immediate fear
of frost, 1t should be cut II il is rea-
sonsbly ripe, it should be Graded when
the dew is on, or during some cloudy day.
Within tWenty-four hours alter cutting,
it should be Taked into gaVels and ses up
on the buts, giving the heads ssyou DO 50
a slight twist, and laying the whole in the
shape of small pyramid. L. can stand
IN this condition some time without in
jury, if the punches that are blown over
are immediately righted up again.
After the grain stalks have become per-
fgclly dry, they should be thIeshed. If
the quantity is large, il had bettor be
done in the field where the crop grew.
Selecting level spot, clear off the top
soil, say three inches ia depth or more, and
then pound with the back of shovel or
maui the uncovered earth till the surface
ia reasonably hard, then sweep this ex.
tempOrizad ID floor thoroughly to remove all
the loose earth, and the floor is ready.
Select dsy which follows a dry
night, and at eleven O'Clock commence,
keeping team hauling small loads and
tipping them on 70 heprepared floor, and
from two to four men at work with fails
and forks, knocking ont the grain, which
a single blow will serve TO dislodge, and
removing the straw to stack near by.
As early as four o'clock commence to
clean up, so that the uncertainties Of the
next day can be provided against, taking
the grain in bags TO the granary, and in.
this way continue until the work is done.
III the barn is near and the acres few,
the barn floor, allowing the grain and
chatf to remain until the whole Is finished,
toprevent cracking the seed with the feet
or by the fails.
Ii the straw is stacked, cattle will eat
some of it, pulling it out as the notion
takes them. Sheep will sometimes, for
lack OF asy thing better, eat a little, but
they do not gene rally banker after 1t, nor
would they grow fat II fed on it alone.
The straw which remains after the win,
ter is over may be spread in the baFDyard,
or 1t can be used for bedding, mixed with
straw. II Is not remarkably valuable as
an absorbent, but Is worth saving.
Asto the use Of buckwheat, the -four Is
highly valued for breakfast cakes; the
grain, mixed with corn, rye, or oats,
ua kes an acceptable provender; and as
TO iced for hens, no grain 10 better from
December To March, and, TO some extent,
throughout the year, r,--HsaTsA and Home.