The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-07-01
A Word About STACKING.

The object of putting grain and hay IN
stacks is to save it from loss by rain. The
secret of good stacking lies in making it
shed water, and to do this there must be
thatching, kind of straw shlngling on
every part of the outside above few feet
from the ground. All the outside straw or
hay must incline downwards, and it must
have that tendency fixed when the stack is
built.
The first thing to be learned and remem-
bered about stacking is to keep the middle |
full. Start in the middle of the foundation
Put the first forkfull there and build around
it. Not only must the middle be kept full,
but it must have the most tramping II any
is done, the point being that if any part Of
the stack is more solidly built than another
part it ought to be the middle, so that in
settling the middle will not sink faster
than the outside. Then lin case OF hay) II
the outside layers are so arranged with the
fork as that the stalks and blades be
straightened out inclining downwards, they
will settle that way.
The same principle holds with wheat,
rye and oats, bnt it is not so difficult to get
the straws into proper position because
they are bound in bundles beforehand. But
the stack must be begun on the middle OF
the foundation. Lay bundle down, then
put another Oh top Of that, letting the
butt end extend little beyond the
heads of the under sheaf. Build on
and around these, tops in. butts out, ring
after ring, until the bottom is large
enough. If the stack is to be Tonga
rick-and not round, then, when the rings
widen to the proper size as to width, build
back and forth on the two sides that are TO
be run out as ends. Widen the stack a
little as it is raised to about six feet, then
place two or three layers SO as to keep the
outside going up perpendicularly. After
that draw in until the stack is finished.
AS soon as the stack is high enough to
commence the drawing in. the middle
should have an extra filing On a stack Of
ordinary width the middle, when drawing
in is begun, ought to be at least two feet
higher than the outside. Keep it that way
to the top.
When grain is very short it is not best
to undertake to widen any up TO the
s'bulgen because there is danger OF the
sheayes slipping out. Where the straw is
long enough, the stack may easily be ex-
tended three OF four feet on each side be
yond the outer lines of the foundation, an(
that makes room for good deal more
grain than can be put into stack that il
run up straight, or drawn in from the bot
TOM The writer of this always did hi
stacking of grain, except the filling of tn
middles, on his knees. That was the rul
in those days. But the work can be as we
done standing by using good fork to plac
the sheaves. Every bundle ought to b
pressed into place by the stackers weigh
upon it.
A stack, whether of grain or hay, afte
it is finished and settled some, ought to b
raked so as to comb out the straw an
make good thatching. The top may b
secured by few sticks tethered wit
straw or hay bands, twisted and ten Q
twelve feet long, and thrown across th
top of the stack If a rick, the weight
ought to be about four feet apart. The
need not be heavy-just enough to kee
the bands in place.