The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-10-26
The Way to Husk Indian Corn.

In order to husk corn rapidly the husker
must not only strip off the husks with a
quick motion of his hands, but he must
have the stalks and ears of corn placed
before him in such manner when husk-
ing corn, in stocks that no time will be
lost in handling stalks and husked ears.
When the husker stands while husking,
and is obliged TO stoop and pick up one
ear at time, he will spend much of the
time in picking up the unhusked ears
which should be appropriated to husking.
When the corn stalks arc not cut up and
placed in stocks of course the husker
must necessarily remain on his feet. But
when the corn is in stocks the husker
should take advantage of every consider
alton that he may not spend too much
time in making movements with mis-
hands, which will render him . slow
husker. We have husked corn from
early boyhood, and have husked side by
side with not a few men who were rapid
huskers who did not htlsk any more corn
than we Our practice is as follows
The stock of unEusked corn is laid down
fatty on the ground, while we sit on low
stool close to one side facing the stock,
the butts of the stalks being at the right
hand and the basket sitting at the butts
Now, snatch up an ear, always with the
left hand, then thrust the point of the
"husking peg'' through the husks at the
top end Of the ear and with a quick jerk
with the right hand strip the husk down
to the butt on one side of the ear. The
left thumb is then brought over the end of
the ear so as to remove all the silk, when
the hrsks on the other side of the ear are
pulled down to the butt and the left hand
grasps the stem and the ear IL broken
off with the right hand and is
tossed into the basket: While the
right hand is disposing Of the husked
ear the left hand Is reaching for
another ear, to he husked. Thus it will be
perceived that every ear is husk cd neat
and clean by only one downward motion
Of each hand. Whena husker draws down
few husks on one SIDE of the ear, then a
few more on the other side Gas child al
ways husks corn), changing hands several
times from ear to husks and from husks to
the car, he will make slow progress husk-
ing corn. If the husker prefers to break
off the ear over the right hand, he can put
the husking peg on the other hand: But
let it be Kept iii mind that in order to
husk fast all the husks on one side of the
ear must be stripped down to the butt at
one motion of the hand. The husker who
picks off few strands of silk and sits
leisurely on his lazy stool picking off one
husk at a time, then throws the ear in an
opposite direction from the place indicated
for the basket, and watches every ear until
it is safely in the basket, and then looks
about for another ear to be husked, will
make slow progress at husking corn.
Husking corn is not laborious work. To
%I,o
broken off the stems from becoming ten
der, let an old leather mitten or leather
glove be worn, after the fingers of the
glove or the end of the mitten is cut off.
If slow husker will practice the forego-
ing manipulations while husking he will
be able to husk more than twice the
quantity of ears in given time. Let him
avoid the practice of making three or four
motions with one hand to do what should
be performed by only one quick move
ment.-N. ?. Herald.