The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-02-05

OF leaving tho crop % b seriously IN.
jared by an untimely hard frost, which
will kin and cause to shr.vel up the inn
mature grain. which would otherwise
fill and mature in the curing. while
drying in the gavel. THIS crop is thus
seen to be surrounded with dangers
from beginning to end, and it is not
safe even until it is we'll sold. for whilc
in the granary it is still liable to injury
from heating and molding in spite OF
great care. These things should be
understood by the farmer. SO that he
nay exercise discretion N the manage
ment Of the crop. because it is evident.
with SO many difficulties in the way
which can not be foreseen and provided
for, no general rule can be lad down
which will meet even majority OF
cases. The only rule that can be given
is the very unsatisfactory one: ''Cut
this grain as soon as it is ready" and
the only help that can be afforded to
the inexpert farmer is to show as near
~ as may be when the grain is ready
to be cut.
Generally IN expert buckwhcat
grower will leave the crop standing
until the first frost. which kills tho
upper leaves and blossoms. The lower
branches, which bear the most OF tho
grain, escape. The grain will be still
green in larger part, but it will not
suffer by cutting. The plant is SO sue
culent that the sap will be sufficient to
mature and fill the grain after it is cut,
and the grain then ripens in the shock.
If frost is late. then the condition Of
the grain must be closely watched. and
when the lowest branches are filled
with ripe grains the crop should be cut
at once, lest these shell out and become
lost.
When the buckwheat is cut it lies in
the swath until it is free from surface
moisture, but no longer. 1t 10 an in
Jury to leave it to shrivel and dry in
the sun. This stops the filling of tho
immature grains which would fill
slowly under the protection of the
stalks and leaves while standing in the
gavel. The gavels should be made OF
fair size. If they are too small tho
straw dries too quickly; if too large
it remains wet and delays the thrash.
ing. The writer's plan is to rake
up as large bunch as possible
one way and set it up between two
swaths; then to rake as much on the
same swath to this bunch and set up
with it. then when the next swath is
ral1ed the grain is set up in the same
manner with that previously set up. SO
as to make each gavel contain four
rakefuls. This makes gavel of con-
venient size every way. The gavel is
not bound. The grain stays in the
gayel until it is cured and dry. Care is
to be taken to set up these if they arc
overturned or disturbed by storms. As
the stalks or pediccls OF the grain are
exceedingly weak, the gram easily be-
comes detached and wasted. In haul
ing the crop to the thrasher. it is well
to have blanket, or sheets spreai over
the rack to save the loose grain, also to
carry it on a cloudy or damp day so as
to prevent the loss of grain. For tho
same reason the grain is cut when tho
stalks are damp. When the grain is
thrashed it should be spread on barn
floor and thoroughly aired on dry.
windy days before it is put in bins. AMI
even after that it must be shifted and
exposed to drying air. or it will hea. in
the bin. 1t is Ole of the worst gra rs
to keep, and the farmer will do well to
get rid of his surplus as soon as pos>i-
BILE, and stor. what he retains on .
floor in a heap not over foot in
depth. !. Times.