Middletown transcript., 1876-09-16
Aaritnltnral.

THREsHINa WHEAT.-Much loss is
often sustained by the farmer in thresh-
ing his wheat. even after it has been
stacked and secured. The most Of
threshiDg is done by men who own ma
chimes, which they carry about from
farm to farm, threshing by the bushel.
Knowing that the more grain they can
thresh in day the greater their profits.
they are apt to consnlt their own interest
rather than that If the owner Of the
grain by rushing tHe-werk and crowd
ing the machine to its utmost capacity,
thereby causing much Of the grain to
PASS through the machine without being
properly threshed Then. again. many
machines are SO ignorantly or carelessly
managed that more or less of the grains
are cracked in threshing, thus imposing
considerable additional loss on the
farmer. The farmer, therefore, who
raises good crop Of wheat has only
himself to blame If be allows the thresh-
ing machine to do its work in an un-
woskmanlike and slovenly manner
With careful management on the part
Of these machine men all such loss can
be avoided, and the result still prove
satisfactory to themselves; for with the
present improvement in these machines
brought, as it has been. to almost
perfection within the last few years
the work can be done not only we'll, but
as rapidly as the ambition ofthe thresher
or the economixing spirit Of the farmer
could wish A these machines whilst
in operation require large number Of
hands to tend thsm-all to be paid and
fed-ths farmer naturally partakes Of
this eagerness to get done as soon as
possible. So that while the hurry may
be on both sides the loss happening
therefrom falls on the farmer alone,
Grain may, and often does. lose much
during the process Of cutting and hand
ling; but unless proper care is taken
much greater waste often results from
the single operation Of threshing, and
that, too, without anybody's noticing il
OF spending thought about it. It is
the duty, therefore. Of the farmer to pay
increased attention, and notice closely
how the work is being done, and if
there is cause Of complaint to insist on
having it done with as little vastage as
possible.
The most economical power for this
purpose is steam, as it can be so regu-
lated as to give the most steady speed
to the machine; and then, if the latter
is properly tended and the grain fed
through isat . moderate rate Of speed,
there is no danger Of any grain passing
through unthreshed or Of any number
of kernels being cracked Il is much
better, too, that the straw. as it comes
from the machine, be delivered on the
stack by means Of straw carrier affixed
to the machine, as then the chaff and
grains Of wheat that might otherwise
pass through with the straw will fall to
the ground before reaching the stack
and thus be saved.
We think, too, that the past season
should convince any one that it is much
the safest to-put wheat in i stack before
threshing; for, besides the opportunity
it affords the grain to 60 through .
sweat so improving to its quality
and condition-all danger Of damage
from the weather is thereby avoided.
OF course when circumstances compel
the farmer to put his wheat in market
At the earliest possible moment it may
be advisable to thresh from the shock |;
but it is always attended with more or
less risk .-Balt San.