Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-08-23
agricultural.
MaTYeStiHG Corn

/ Wish to thank w NJ Y Of Connecticut
for his excellent article on . What is the
best mctl Cd Of harvesting corn" published
in the Farmer. June 24tb. lie is right ac-
cOrdIng to my experience. Though | have
never made such careful experiment as he
has given, yet ! believe every word Of biz
statements, having tried the method Of cut
ting up while the corn was quite green, and
setting it up in the field. | should like to
have him give his mode Of operations, so that
if it is better than my own way, can try
it.
Here is my way IF doing it, and dascrip-
ton of some OF the tools to work with. We
have what Is called horse, made as follows
take light stick Of timber, eleven feet long
two and one-half inches square, or, If round
three Inches a the large end, and two inches
at the other. hTce and one-half feet from
the largest end put IN two legs two and one
half feet long. These must stand bracing
each other, their feet about eighteen inch, ;
apart, and stand perpendicular when the
small end OF the horse is on the ground.
Next, bore an inch hole through the neck OF
the horse, half way between the legs auO
large, end so that a stick three feet long put
through it will be horizontal with the sur
face OF the ground ] his stick must sir
easily in the hole. Then on the top OF the
horse, and back of the log-, insert two small
sticks about fifteen inches long, and spread
ing at the top to each side one foot ais
insert TWO others similar TO these, two feet
behind them, these form tie saddle to lay
tie bands into
For bands. we use fodder corn that is Of
the Tigh- length, well wIlted a bundle o.
this is fastened into the saddle of the horse.
Now two men or BOYS with each good corr
cutter, ke heir horse, set it between til,
rows, 20 that each man can cut two rows ano
set the corn into the corners formed by the
stick in the horses neck as evenly Is posi-
bic. and elauting enough To have 1t sJauu
strong cut twenty or twenty-five hills, ac-
cording to the weigh. Of the corn. that tn
shocks may not be too heavy to handle when
dry Then let one man take two or thre,
stalks of the binders and bind the n Ok
as close TO the horses baca as he can, and :ho
other man take a band, bend over the top
Of the stalks and bini tight: then one mar
pulls out the stick from the horses neck
the other man takes the horse and backs 1t
out, carries it forward, sets 1t in its place
for another shook the other puts in biz
stick, and both are ready to cut again. After
a little prac' ice, the men will cut, set up, and
bind field OF corn nearly az quick they
would cut, bind, carry out, and set up the
top stalks, and do it without breaking down
and wasting the corn. After standing two
weeks, the corn can tie husked il the fodder
is wanted for immediate use, otherwise il
had better stand until the cobs are some
what dried.
To get in the corn to husk, take short
cart, with four stakes four feet long, and 2
boy TO load drive between two rows o.
shocks, and with a fork take each shook
between the bands, and place around the
cart, with butts out. Back int the barr
floor. pull out the stakes and tip up the cart
In this way you can get in a load or two il
a few minutes, if you see shower or storm
approaching.
Last year We cut and set up our corn tn,
first and second days of September, Will,
looking quite green, but on opening tn,
husks the corn was found to he well glazed
Treated in this way, the fodder is as mucl
better than when harvested by the Old way
as the top stalks are better than the but
after standing through bleaching storms an,
frOsts, as is the old practice. 1t is excel
lent for cows giving milk in the fall o
spring and if you have pumpkins OF turnip
growing among the corn it gives them bet
ter chance, and w. III. Y has proved b
thorough trial that the corn itself is bette
every way, and l am satisfied that it
heavier and sweeter.
&C. f. KIMBALL an ". f. Farmer