Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-08-21

m Nv not be out Of place.
NOWADAYS there are so many really
good reapers in the hands OF the farmers,
that the binding of grain is very much
simplified, the gavels being laid at regu-
lar intervals, out of the way OF the reaper,
and with the butts reasonably square tor
binding. All that is necessary to be done
is for the binders to form the band, TIE,
and the grain is ready for shocking; ms
labor may be facilitated, if the binders
will toss the grain into convenient piles,
from which they are quickly carried 10
the places for shocking.
In setting the sheaves together 1t is
quite common to see the bundles OF rye,
barley and oats simply leaned against
each other in long lines, and without COW
ering from rain, and in too many cases
the grain is often injured to greater or
less extent thereby. This should never De
done except perhaps in the case OF rye
which does not readily absorb moisture,
and the length of the straw OF winch
makes it somewhat difficult to be placed
in shocks for covering. Nevertheless, we
always practiced covering the shocks OF
rye. :,
Barley we should never bind, but should
always take the gavels directly to the
barn, as soon as dry, for, if wet with rain,
the grain is thereby seriously injured;
indeed, every time the grain is wet with
dew, after being cut, it is more or less
discolored. and once wet, after binding,
the grain can no longer be sold as first
class in the market.
There are various ways of shocking, but
the one most in use, and, all things con-
sidered. the best, is to set two sheaves up
right, placing, against these, two other
sheaves at two of the sides, making six
sheaves compactly together. Against
these, leaning slightly, the butts set firmly
on the ground, put sheaf at each end,
and one at each side. Your shock now
contains ten sheaves. Press the heads to-
gether and it is ready for the caps. These
are made by selecting medium sized
sheaves for the purpose. Break the tops
above the band so that the straw and
heads may spread, and, opening the butts,
set it on the shock so that the heads may
cover the sides, and the butt the end OF
the shock. Bend another sheaf as before
directed, for the opposite end of the
shock, tapping enough to partially cover
the first cap sheaf If this be carefully
done, the Shock is safe from ordinary
harvest storms, although, sometimes, long
continued spells Of wet weather will cause
the inside of the shocks to take water: but
this is the exception.
In stacking when the dew lies on the
shocks, it is well to place the cap sheayes
near the outside Of the stack. Commence
the stack by setting up sheaves around
central one. Continue this until the bot
tom is large enough, being careful that it
be not so large as to prevent the stack be-
ing properly laid out. When finished,
the stack should present true egg shape,
the large end down. A little observation
and practice will enable you to do this.
One course having been laid, commence
the next on the outside layer about even
with the outside butts; lay the next row
with the butts about six inches over the
bands of the preceding layer, and so pro-
coed, circle within circle, until you get
to the center. Keep the stack well crown
ed to the middle, else, when the stack
comes to settle, the sheaves will point
downward to the center, and so let in
water Place each sheaf firmly and COM
pactly next its neighbor, and when the
stack has reached height of two or three
feet, according to the size of the stack,
commence laying out, placing each sue
ceeding outside course from two to four
inches over the edge until you reach the
proper height, when it may be carried up
square to the point, whence IL becomes
necessary to commence drawing in.
From the point where the stack is to be
drawn in, decrease in size, keeping the
middle very full and the sharper the top,
the fuller the middle requires to be kept.
An important point to be observed is. that
the sheaves be not all pitched to the stack
from one side, since this will cause the
| L. Nd 10,
over the stack, if soft places be observed,
keep them filled to correspond with the
other portions of the stack; and in stack
ing do not walk further toward the out
side of the sheaves than is necessary, since
this is apt to cause the outer bundles to
sslide. If the middle of the stack from
any cause becomes low, commence at the
center and lay out to near the outside, and
then work as before directed, for if the
sheaves near the outside be not quite
slanting, the stack will, in settling, let in
water, and this must be especially guarded
against as the top is drawn to an apex.
To finish the stack, stand in the center
and place the bundles so that the butts
will always be lowest, and when you have
the stack to as sharp a peak as possible,
force long, smooth, sharply pointed
stake down into the stack, leaving only
about eight or ten inches projecting
which should be covered with large
long sheaf, butt upward, with the heads
carefully spread over the stack, and the
end of the butt of the sheaf tied tightly
over the stake. If these directions are
. carefully followed, there is no reason why
. the stack should not preserve its contents
intact, without thatching or further care
: For your stack-yard select level, we'll
drained spot. Arrange so that your stacks
may stand in parallel lines, convenient fol
pitching from both sides and also fol
| threshing from. Place the stacks in line
/ nearly enough together SO that the drip
: from one may not touch the other. Have
the lanes between the stacks perfectly
: straight. See that your grain is dry before
/ stacking, and when dry lose no time in Sc
curing It. The time for leaving it in the
shock will vary from one to two weeks
i according to the ripeness of the grain and
, the favorable or unfavorablc condition Of
/ the weather. Once stacked. the grain
{ must remain intact from month to siz
weeks before threshing, to allow it to &c
J through the sweating process which al
ways occurs after stacking.-Wester1