Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-13
WHEN TO CUT GRATN.-RELATIVE
VALE OF HAY AND STRAW,

II is more and more demonstrated by the
experience Of the farm and the bake-shop,
that the best time TO cut grain is when the
straw begins TO turn yellow.
1t is established that when the stalk be-
gins to turn yellow, the plant receives no
more sap from the earth, and that the for
nation of the flow is finished 10 the grain
by the action alone of the air and the heat.
SIT has been equally well proved that the
grain in process of ripening becomes more
fall, sheltered from the heats OF the sun, in
the interior Of shock for instance, than
stretched in the swath; because in the lat
ter case the heat dries the grain to excess,
diminishing a. the same tine It's quality,
its weight and its voume.
"The most rational system therefore for
harvesting grain is,
81. To cut the straw at the. moment it
begins to grow yellow.
90. To put the swath Immediately into
sheaves, which should be gathered into
pyramid-like groups called shocks, with out
delay.
"Each shock is formed by five or six
sheRves placed standing a little inclined
and in round form, to give solidity to
the structure. The ears gathered into a
centre are then capped with a reversed
sheaf, unless they can be covered, as we
have seen it done in Auvergne, with small
cowls or hoods OF straw, prepared before
hand for that purpose, practice which not
ably facilitates the work. The ears thus
sheltered from the excessive heat, the rain
and the dew, ripeD slowly and furnish large
grains, smooth and of good quality. An
other advantage OF this method is that the
grain is secured the farmer is not hurried
TO remove it; be can leave it in the shock
| without inconvenience until after the labors
of the harvest. r
"This is Sn important point at 8 period
when, for want of force, there are alwsys
| JOS in waiting, even among the best d.
recaed transactions. "-GGzette deS CGnlpdg-
mes.
| REMARKS BY TRANSLATOR.
| The practice suggested in the latter part
| OF the above remarks is one which has
been long followed In our section, but it is
not usual to cut as soon as recommended in
the beginning. "Cut as soon as the grain is
out of the milk and in the dough-" is the rule
most frequently uttered here, and the grain
will be 10 the milk sometime after the straw
has began to grow yellow at the bottom. 1t
is desirable to know the earliest possible
moment at which grain can be safely cut,
but few farmers are provided with the
necessary apparatus, and few farmers have
the necessary time to test the matter. 1t
would be necessary TO cut the grain
at different stsges of the ripeniIg process,
aud compare them-bY weight, appear
ance and anslysis-with one another. We
! are aware that experiments have demon
strated the advantages of very early cutting
to both the farmer and the miller, the early
cut grain making more and better -four
than the ripe grain, but we are not aware
that IL is sefe to cut SIS soon as the straw
| turns yellow, although if this can safely be
! dnre ID will prove of immense advantage to
all Concerned in the growth of cereals, and
| who is notP
The farmer will be enabled to begin his
harvest earlier, without the loss which now
follows, particularly in large harvests, from
the oVer-ripening and shattering out Of
grain.
In our present wheat field the rank
growth of the oats from the shattered
grains threatened in some places to outgrow
and smother the wheat, although the field
was narrowed half q dozen times, rolled
and drilled. We delayed harvesting the
oats, fearful of cutting too soon, aud before
the work was done, some of the oats were
far too ripe, the whole field was pretty vel
seeded a. ew, and takiog strong hold in tht
good ground, they went too deep for a har
row tooth to remove them. Wheat field!
have sometimes been ruined by the obtrud
ing oats.
| Again the straw is becoming more and
more valuable as our system cf farming sd
vances from the primitive to the more care
full stage, and the earlier the straw is Gu
the more nutrition it affords. Formerly th,
straw was set on fire, or allowed to rot dowI