The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-09-13
PROTECTING THE STACKS.


Bitter experience has demonstrated
that we may look for continued rain
storms in Minnesota at or about the close
of harvest; and where these rains are ac-
companied by fierce driving winds, there
are but few stacks that can resist them,
We have. ourself, this year protected our
grain by building long. large ricks. and
covering the tops with wide boards, as
described in q former issue. While this
has effectually protected our grain dur
ing all the terrible storms we have pass.
through. it is open to several objections.
1t is slow and awkward work for the
men to put these covers on the stacks,
the boards being heavy and unweildy.
The expense for the lumber is consider
able; and the lumber itself is apt to be
destroyed or wasted before the next har-
vest
We find in the English papers adyer-
tisements and engravings representing
the merits of various contrivances, neces-
sary in that wet climate, for the protec-
ton of the stacks. The favorite seems
to be sort of tent-cover of duck, fasten-
ed at each side by ropes and pegs to the
earth. and drawn tightly over the stack /;
others rest across ridge pole supported
by crotched uprights, SO that the work
of stacking can 60 on beneath them.
Why cannot our farmers adopt some
thing of this kind. They can buy the
stuff tor about ~ cts, per square yard,
and give il one or two coats OF oil and
paint, doing the work themselves. The
covers tor hundred or two acres would
thus cost but trifling sum. Cords could
be attached which could be tied to stakes
driven into the stack or into the ground.
These covers could, after thrcshinR. be
folded up and laid away under cover, and
thus cared for, they would last ten or
fifteen years This year they would
have been worth ten time their cost.
We clip from an exchange another
| method OF making the duck water proof:
The best way Of preparing such cloth u By
the process adopted for the tunics Of the Frpnch
soldiers during the Cimean war. II Is ~ fol-
lows: lake 2 IA lbs. alum and dissolve in ten
gsli0ns boiling water; then In separate ves-
sci dissolve the same quantity Of sugar Of lead
in ten gallons water, and mix the two solu-
tons The cloth II now well handled in this
liquid, until every part Of It y pcnetratd d;
then it is squeezed and dried in the air ,.or n
warm apartment, then wa-Ised in cold water
| and dried again, when It u ct for use Nnec-
essary, the 10th n sy be dipped in the liquid
| and dried twice before being wasLe 1. TrAe
liquor appears curdIed when the alum and
lead solutions are mixed together Thisi- the
result Of double decomposition, the snlphate
Of Ie ID, winch is an insolubIe salt being form.
sd. The sulphzte Of lead is taken up IN the
| po,eS nf the cloth, and il Is unaffected fy rim
or moisture, and yet IT does not render the
clo'h ar tight Such cloth u also partially
non-iDfamable. solution Of a1nm ;fs~If wifi
render cloth, prepared as described, partially
wa1proof, but It is not 20 good az ff1s -uIpFxfs
Of had Snch cloth shells rain like tI,e fsafI,eyn
on the back ola duck.
We trust our farmer friends will studv
n, this question. Let us hear the expe-
rience Of those who have experimental
Id tbs directson.
In England we understand that sush
ea-,ns as we have passed through.
Id they are extraordinary with Us.
quite common; and one Of the great
IS b'ems of successful farming is to yes
gain under cover as soon AZ cut.
-'lssfss are built on many farms under
the grain Is stacked,