The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-10-16
CUTTING UP CORN.
A Method which WIN savs Considsrahls
Labor.

CUTTING UP CORN.
A Method Which WIN savs Coasidsrahae
With proper implements, which every
farm can furnish with but slight expense.
two smart men will cut and stock two
acres in day. They can not top mole
than one acre, and the stalks are to be
bound and carried off from the field, or
left to be bleached till the corn is har.
vested, when they have lost half of their
value. A hill is gathered with a pillow
in cutting up, in topping. cut must be
made upon every stalk. 1t has been
demonstrated by careful experiments
that there is gained from six to ten
bushels of corn per acre BY cutting up
above what will be obtained by topping
the corn. The best time for harvesting
or cutting the corn is when the grain Is
glazed, but not yet perfectly hard and
stalks still partially green. Previous to
this process, and at the time when the
ear. but not the grain. were fully formed.
it was formerly the custom to top the
corn, cutting off the stalks and leaves
above the hi CHEST ears, but this is now
generally abandoned. The leaves are
necessary for the Celebrations of the
sap which forms the grain. and careful
experiments prove that when the plant
was thus deprived of its foliage the
grain was lighter and the ear not as well
filled, although it might ripeD a little
earlier. All the nutriment of plants
must be prepared in the leaves. and
that this elaborated sap or prepared
food descends; consequently that when
the leaves above the corn are taken off
by topping the grain can gain no further
nutriment or accession of growth, and
that when the grain is cut up and
stacked the grain does continue to OBJ
tain nutriment and accession of growth
for some days from the descending or
elaborated sap with which the succulent
stems are abundantly charged. The
leaves also continue their celebrating
process for some days after the corn is
cut. Corn is harvested by cutting close
to the ground with sickle or a heavy
knife manufactured for this purpose.
Several hills are laid together and bound
, with q cornstalk or other cheap band.
A shock should be set so that all the
stalks will stand plumb. then it should
be tied with strong band as soon as
shocked. A simple instrument to draw
and hold the shock together while tying
is made as follows: Take board an
inch thick and foot or more square;
nail block two inches wide at each
end of this board; then nail another
board six inches wide on these blocks
aud bore hole through both boards to
the center; make spindle of strong
wood one and one-half to three feet long.
two inches in diameter at the top and
tapering to . point. or if you wish you
can make the spindle larger at the top;
bore hole through and put in strong
round like the handle of an augur;
fasten a small rope, long enough to reach
around the shock to the spindle near the
handle Run the spindle through the
boards, and then thrust it horizontally
through tho shock, where you wish to
tie it. pass the rope around the shock
and pass the loose end under between
the rope and the spindle. Then turn on
the handle and the rope will wind Oh
the spindle. You can draw the shock
SO tight that it will raise the outside
stalks from the ground. 1t draws from
both sides alike, SO that it does not twist
the shock If there is but one person
to use it he can fasten it by making .
hole through the board and slipping in q
pin so that the handle cannot turn. Tie
with strong Irvine. A shock set and tied
in this way will seldom ever twist or fall
unless the string breaks. A convenient
frame to Law the shock on to husk can DE
made rs follows: Take two pieces of
light wood, about ten feet long: put a
round in three feet from each ID.
Make the frame two and one-half or
three feet wide, and high enough so that
YOU can stand straight when husking.
You can work faster and easier. and the
| fodder is not soiled and wasted rs when
laid on the ground. Cut and well stock
| ed. neither the grain or the forage is
likelv to be seriously injured BY the
weather even if left in the field late. If
topped. the the tops must be exposed to
the decorating influence of the rains.
winds and sun, until they are dry
enough to bind, which diminishes their
value. If cut up the whole of the stalks
are converted into forage. If topped.
but small part becomes useful. And
if the butts are fed in the cattle yard
they imbibe additional fertilizing prop
critics from the urine and liquids which
abound there, and which are lost if there
is no litter to absorb them. Therefore.
it gives more to the crops as well as to
the cattle. by saving that which other
wise is often lost to the farm. Cutting
up has this important advantage at least
in the north: it secures the crop, botn
grian and forage. from the dangers of
early autumnsl frost, for after the grain
is cut and stocked, it is not liable to in
jury from this occurrence. Another adj;
vantsgs is. that the ground may be
cleared two or three weeks earlier for =
winter crop where it is desirable to sow
autumn Statesman.