Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-07-22
2fsricltlt,lral department.
/. D. r. COLLINS, Editor.
WHEN SHOULD GRAIN BE CUT.

81
Older countries than ours, have given
this question much attention, and pub
lie opinion there has settled down upon
the fact that it should be some days
before the grain is ripe, ~ rsrra
1t is not singular that such should be
the case. There is period when the
grain of the wheat plant will yield the
most -four. Cut earlier or later than
this period, and it will yield less flour,
and of poorer quality.
Those. persons who make sugar from
the beet, have learned that if the root
is harvested before it has thoroughly
reached maturity, it does not yield a
fair proportion of saccharine juices.
A peach must ripen perfectly on the
tree, in order to be excellent. No sys-
tenn of culture, no art of man, or magic
of manures, can make it perfect one,
unless it does SO ripen.
On the contrary, mostpears are ruined
if allowed to ripen on tie tree.
There may be other illustrations to
show that it is not a singular thing that
wheat, rye, barley and oats, should be
harvested a few days before the kernels
of grain are thoroughly ripened. We
have tested it sufficiently to thoroughly
believe that such is the case. Our
practice is,ato cut the grain as soon
as the earliest part of the crop has
passed from the milky, into the. doughty
state. By placing kernel Of the grain
between the thumb nails and tanning
it down, the true time of cutting can at
once be ascertained. If the milk flows
freeley, it is too early: but if the ker-
mel mashes down into doughty consis-
tency, showing particle of milk, then
is just the time. e" go -
Another. very valuable point in cut
p 2 y
ting at this moment is, that the straw is
much more valuable than when left
standing longer. There is no necessity
to let it lay to cure, but it should be al
once tied up, and the bundles set in
stocks. If the stocks are then covered
with caps, grain and straw will come te
perfection.
Those who have abundant experience
in the matter, state that the advantages
of this mode of harvesting are, the grain
is heavier. sweeter, and winter there
is no shattered grain, and the straw is
so much better that this alone .woulc
make it advisable to cut early
The most careful attention has beer
given to this subject in England. There
indeed, they can afford expensive exper
iments. On some estates, where tn,
proprietor has an annual income of som,
100000, and has desire to be usefu
to the world, such experiments hav'
been made as to settle many question:
in regard to the cultivation of crops
This question of the best time of har
vesting grains, was one of them.
In the second volume of British Hus
bandry, it is said,-''Taking all thing
into consideration, it seems to be tn
most prudent plan to have the grain Gu
before it is fully ripe; but in this
medium course should be adopted 70
although grain, if allowed to become to
ripe, assumes dull, husky hue in tn
sample, yet if not ripened enough
: shrivels in the drying"
Another authority states that 'grail
reaped eight days before ripening ha
the berries larger, fuller, and finer.
An experienced Pennsylvania farme
states that he always cuts his oats Will
the straw is green. He learned this b
accident. HIS hay crop was snort an
he cut his oats before ripening, but LEI
strip for ripening for seed. Upo
! threshing he was surprised to find tn
early cut yielding as much and as plum
grain as that which stood until it wa
ripe, while the straw was incomparabl
better.
, Let us test for ourselves during tt
] coming harvest.
1t might be interesting to some
state reasons why the grain is bette
, cut early. They are exceedingly int
; esting, but may come more properly q
! another time perhaps, when farm duti
are less pressing .-Er.
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