The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-07-24
HARVESTING, SHOCKING AND
STACKING.

the farmers of the West expect to re-
aiize cash returns, and this for the
simple reason that their selling
prices in our principal markets are
such as to warrant their transporta-
ton to comparatively long distances.
hye and oats are next in Importance,
but rye is not generally raised in the
West, and oats do not bear a price
sufflclent to warrant long ship.
ment. Much grain is lost an, ualiy
oy bad shocking, and since there is
every reason to believe that there
may be much rain during the present
harvest, a few hints on this matter
may not be out of place.
Nowadays there are so many
good reapers in the hands of the
farmers, that the binding of grain is
very much simplified, the gayels be.
ing laid at regular intervals, out of
the way OF the reaper, and with the
butts reasonably square for binding.
All that is necessary to be done is,
fol the binders to form the band, tie,
and the grain is ready for shocking.
This labor may be facilitated, if the
binders will toss the grain into con.
Venlent piles, from which they are
quickly carried to the places for
shocking.
In setting the sheaves together it
Is quite common to see the bundles
otrye, barley and oats, simply lean.
ed against each other in long lines,
and without covering from the rain,
and 10 too many cases the grain is
often injured to greater or less ex-
tent thereby. This should never be
done except, perhaps, in the case of
rye which does not really absorb
moisture, and the length OF the straw
# which makes it somewhat difficult
to be placed in shocks for covering.
Nevertheless we have always prac-
uced covering the shocks of rye.
B"rley we should never bind, but
should always take the gavels direct
ly to the barn, as soon as dry, for, if
wet with rain, the grain is thereby
seriously injured; indeed every time
the gra IL is wet with dew, after being
cut, 1t is more or less discolored, and
once wet, after binding, the grain
can no longer be sold in the market
as first class.
There are various ways of shock.
ing, but the one most in use, and, oil
things considered, the best is to set
two sheaves upright, placing against
these, two other sheaves at two of
the sides, making six shaaves COM
pactly 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 together and it is
ready for the caps. These are made
by selecting medium size sheaves
for the purpose. Break the tops
above the band so tbs the straw and
heads may spread, and opening the
butts set it on the shock so the heads
will cover the sides, and the butt
the end of the shock. Bend another
sheaf as before directed, for the op-
posite end of the shock, tapping
enough to partially cover the first
cap sheaf. 1t this be carefully done
the shock is safe from ordinary har-
vests torms, 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, i, is well to place the cap
sheaves near the outside of the stack.
Commence the stack by setting up
sheaves around central one. Con.
tinue this until the bottom is large
enough, being careful that it be not
so large as to prevent the stack from
being properly laid out. When fin
ished, the stack should present a 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 80 proceed, circle within circle
until you get to the centre. Keep
the stack well crowned to the mid
die, else, when the stack comes to
settle, the sheaves will point down.
ward towards the centre, and 80 let
in water. Place each sheaf firmly
and compactly next its neighbor, and
when the stack has reached the
height of two or three feet, accord.
ing to the size of the stack, com.
mence laying out, placing each suc
ceeding outside course from two to
four inches over the edge until yeu
reach the proper height, whence i,
becomes necessary to commence
drawing in.
I From the point where the stack il
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 i'm
portant point to be observed is, that
the sbeaves be not all pitched to the
stack from one side, since this viii
cause the stack to settle unevenly
and in passing over the stack, if sof
places be observed, keep them filled
to correspond with the other portion.
of the stack and in stacking do no,
walk further towards the outside O
the sheaves than is necessary, since
this is apt to cause the outer bundles
to slide. If the middle Of the stack
from any cause becomes low, com
mence at the centre and lay out tc
near the outside, and then work az
before directed, for if the sheaves
near the outside be not slanting, tht
stack will in settling, let in water ani
this must be especially guarded
against as the top is drawn to al
apex.
To finish the stack, stand in tn,
centre, and place the bundles so tina
the butts will always be lowest, an,
when you have the stack to as eh.r,
a peak as possible, force a long
smooth, sharply-pointed stake dow
into the stack, leaving only eight O
ten inches projecting, which shoult
be covered with a large, long sheai
butt upward with the head. CAREFUL,
spread over the stack, and the ent
of the butt of the sheaf, tied Tight,
, over the end of the stake. If thes
directions are carefully followed
there is no reason why the stack
should not preserve its contents in
tact, without thatching or furthe