The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-21
Harvesting Corn.
M
Chicago TrihnnA.


The increasing tendency of late years to hrsk
from the stalk standing the hill has caused
many farmers to lack the knowledge of the best
and easiest way to cut and shock corn. Very
many farmers still lay down the stalks into
gavels, to be again picked up and carried to
the shocks. Many depend upon stalks for bind
ing, or upon slough hay. twisted into bands by
two men in the field, and majority set the
shocks so carelessly that curing is imperfect,
and many shocks are blown over. When the
stalks are cut and carried to the shock directly
there is also a wide difference in the mum Der
of hills man will cut and carry in an arm.
full In fact, cutting and shocking corn is
more matter of dizziness than labor although
the labor of course, is hard. Hence 1t will
be opportnne to show some points to simplify
this labor.
The first thing is to have plenty of bands pre-
pared. Have your blacksmith make you an iron
crank with hook at one end. Before the hook
and crank is turned slip section of rod, properly
bored for gripping, SO it may not turn in the
hand, to form the upper part OF the crank The
handle may be similarly protected, Turn the
crank to the proper shape from the hook open,
and the whole is complete. Throw down a con-
siderable pile of hay straw on the barn floor,
n,oisten pretty thoroughly, shake it up quite
light, catch a little on the hook, and commence
walking backward twisting as you GO, having
the material fed properly to the crank by an
assistant When you have reached the limit of
the floor, the assistant holding his end firmly,
whole into ball. Fasten the end securely with
a skewer, and so proceed until you have bands
enough for your purpose. They are used by
cutting off a section sufficient for shock in
binding until the ball is used up, and in working
the balls must be moist. Thus you will bind
frner and faster than in any other way.
Most persons prefer to shock around a single
hill. In this case corn -horse is useful. Take
a smooth. light. stiff pole twelve feet long, a
2x3 scantlng dressed smooth. and sharp at one
and WI ha nd ho1a md O.
quarter hole to receive a rod easily, sharp at
each end and three feet long. pair of legs
two feet high, four feet from the sharp end,
completes the whole. Set the horse so the cross
piece will be at the hill, shock around equally.
and the shock finished withdraw the rod The
horse may then be pulled back and carried to- AN
other hill This will save much time and vexa-
ton in shocking. and the shocks will stand up.
By this method seven hills square, or forty nine
hills. will make good shock.
Tables, however, make the most secure and
perfect means OF shocking around. In this case
the shocks may be eight hills square, or sixty
four hills TO the shock. These are formed at
the requisite intervals by hand going ahead
and forming them by twisting four hills together
diagonaly to form the table. That is, two hills
are bent together diagonally and twisted to lock,
and again the two others. This shock, in addi-
ton to being perfectly stable. cannot be blown
over. and has better ventilation than a smaller
shock around single hill.
A hit-or miss way of cutting corn always loses
time and exhausts the strength of the hand. If
six hills are cut and carried at an armful, very
little reflection will show how commencing near
the hill and cutting out and back, will place
the workman and band at the point nearest the
shock when the armful is heaviest To decrease
the weight the stubble should be left high espe-
cially in stout corn The butts of the stalks are
worth nothing for fodder. and railroad bar or
roller drawn over the field in the spring prepares
the land for blowing
For binding large shocks there is economy in
using two men, One cuts the band from the
ball or forms it by knottng the ends Of two
wisps of long hay or straw from bundle An
end is taken by each man, passed around the
shock just at the tips of the lowest stocks of the
shock, and then fastened, while the assistant
forms another bond Various devices.have been
used to enable man to do the work of draw
ing the shock together. The simplest is the one
devised by the writer A tough piece of hickory
or oak four inches wide and and eight inches
long is prepared. Near one end a hole is bored
just sufficient to take smooth piece of strong
clothes-line eight feet long. knot keeps it
from pulling out Midway of the piece a diagonal
slit Is sawed half way down the wood. This is
opened at the top to easily admit the cord, but
so fixed towards the end that the rope will grip
tightly. The cord is passed around the shock,
and when drawn tight congresses the stalks SO
It is easily bound higher up by the hay-band.