The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-29
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
How 10 Slack Grim.

How 10 Slack Grain.
Stacking grain is frequently alluded to by
agricultural writers as "wasteful practice"
So far from being "wasteful," there is fire.
quently great saving in stacking grain. The
advantages of stacking are: less danger of
ire. greater security against rats and mice.
and immunity from barn weevil. Where the
crop is long distance from the barn there is
also saving of time in storing. The stacks
can be hauled in when labor is cheaper.
With the Mediterranean and Fultz varieties
of wheat, the kinds most generally cultivated
in this section, the loss by shelling is scarcely
worth notice.
Have your sheaves of even size and well
bound. Badly bound and "slobbery" sbeaves
cannot be tolerated in stacking, and should
not be tolerated at any time. Select high,
dry ground for your stacks, and begin by lay
ing foundation of rails. Some stackers
omit this, but it is much better to have a
foundation to cut off the moisture from be-
low,
First, lay down four large rails, spaced equi-
distant, and across these lay about dozen
rails, and you are ready to begin your stack.
Throw two or three sheaves across the GEN.
tire, and build the tops of your sheaves on
these, going ''gee round; that is, with
your right hand toward the center of the
stack. Continue your widening circle until
you have reached the corners of the founda-
ton, letting the butts of the sheaves rest on
the ground on the four sides. Now see that
your base is round and level, and you have
your foundation large enough on which to
build from sixty to eighty bushels of wheat.
Lay another course or two of sheaves with
their butts even with those of the last course
on the rails, leaving the stack bottom in the
form OF pie-dish. Place another course
with their butts about even with TIE bands
of the outside course, and the heads pointing
to the centre, and another course inside of
this. and so on, until your middle is full
Continue on in this way until your founda-
ton is eight or nine feet high, or as high as
you wish your ''bulge." The bottom may be
built perpendicular, or, better still, little
out from plumb at top. Begin now and raise
the centre of your stack very high, making
the slope nearly as steep as an ordinary
house-roof, and extending well out on to the
last course Oh the bottom. You have now
come to the most important part of your job
-''laying the cave" Having your center
very high, so as to give your sheaves a good
pitch, you begin by taking sheaf and
thrusting the butts downwards and outwsrds,
until they extend a short distance over the
last course. You now get on your knees on
this sheaf, and another is handed you, which
you serve in the same way, until you have
completed the circle. Now put some filling
in the centre, and lay another "bulge" ring
with the butts as far as the first "breaking
joint" like course of shingles. Be sure and
keep the tops of the sheaves well back. They
are liable to gain forward. and this will spoil
the stack. They should all point to the CEN
ter, like spokes in wheel, and should be
closely crowded together. 1t there is sheaf-
handler, he should stand as nearly as possible
in the middle, so as not to move the outside
course. The third course is drawn in little,
and each succeeding course little more rap
idly, until the job is finished. Have lew
small sheaves for finishing, and have stick
five or six feet long, made very sharp at one
end. Thrust this down the centre OF the
stack, taking care to have it perpendicular.
Fix band or two around the tops of the last
course and your stack is topped out.
Next morning, when the dew is on, is the
best time to rake it off, Pull the butts where
there are unsightly holes, and beat down pro-
tuberances. Stacks built ia this way will
stand for months in the wettest seasons, and
sustain no injury.
Long stacks or ricks are built ON two or
more squares of rails placed together. Where
there is large quantity of grain to stack,
ricks are economical. The chief objection to
this kind of stack is the long row of heads
exposed to the weather on top, unless you
Cudtcu VI cover Will DOdIuS. HICKS SnOulQ
always be built with their length running
east and west. The east sides of stacks and
shocks are always more liable to be damaged
by rain than any other parts.
The main points to be observed in stacking
are:
1. Keep your centers full, thereby giving
your outside courses steep pitch.
2. Always have the tops of your sheaves
point to the centre.
8. A symmetrical form of stack.
inexperienced stackers are apt to build too
high, and run their stacks up to spire-like
and the tops are liable to be blown off. 1t is
the pitch of the sheaf, and not the pitch Of
the top that makes it waterproof. An egg
shape is the best form for stack.-Loncas-
ter Farmer.