Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-09-04
WHEN TO CUT GRAIN.

There is time to cut grain when the
berry will be heaviest there is time to
cut it when 1T will be brightest and time
when the straw will be brightest and afford
the best feed. Luckily, all these advantages
may be secured in the one cutting-at a
certain point in the growth This, need
not repeat here, is when the berry is in the
dough. 1t has often enough been written
so, aud is practiced by many farmers. But
the great majority adhere to the old rule
Even those, many Of them, who have the
conviction that grain should be cut early,
still adhere to the old system, let their grain
get ripe and the straw dead, fit only for bed
ding use in the stables. Their loss is con-
siderable in every field where this is done.
TheJ do net see the amount of loss, nor even
have made an estimato-so they are no
wiser, thinking the loss is not great. Why
do they not test this matter carefully and
accurately ? Why not take certain area
Of each and note what difference there is
But even this they will not do, though the
trouble is not much. Were they to test
this they would find what others have 70 und
"a great difference with all the varieties of
grain, in favor of early cutting. they would
find that the grain would cut easier, being
more tender in the stalk and standing more
upright. They would find the stalk, after
being cured, partly green in color, equal as
feed (when choppcd) to some hay that is
made, and better than the hay made when
ripe They would fnl the berry, perhaps
to their astonishment, plumper aud heavier,
aud, of course, brighter, so that the grain
would not only be better to feed, but wou Id
make better bread, better seed grain and
command a better price in market. There
would be nc shelling at harvestings the
work would be done earlier some ten or fif.
teen days., and should the weather be wet
at the time SO as to put off the work, the
grain would not suffer so much whereas,
were it left to stand till fully ripe, raiu or
two would leave it in n damaging condition
the loss in such cases is often very great.
Besides, grain fully ripe will readily grow
in the sheaf when exposed to wet /; much
more readily than when cut IN the dough
and matured in the stock. 1t should be
partly dried on the swarth, all outside
moisture off before it is gathered aud p ut up
for cure.
The wheat and rye crops in the Mohawk
Valley, just harvested, have suffered con-
siderably The cutting was put off till the
grain was ripe, the rains in some cases put
ting it off farther, and the wet weather oc-
curing after the grain was stocked, both
straw aud berry are the worse for it. Cut
in due time, these rains would have had less
injurious effect. There is an excellent crop
Of oats standing. The straw Is not over
heavy, and will make good fodder if cut in
good time and well cured. Let us save
this crop, berry and straw, 10 good condi-
ton, since our winter grain aud hay has suf-
fered from bad harvesting. The corn crop
must also be saved in the same way. The
stalks may be made second only in value to
early cut clover and grass, while the ear
will be the better for early cutting. Shall
we wisely save our fodder for next winter s
feed, or shall we suffer scarcity to over
take us as it did last spring? Remember
it is the quality as well as the amount that
is to be considered.-COr. Country Gentle.
man.