Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-02-07
CORN HUSKING.
The Wonderful Feat of Long
Island Farm Hand.
He Husks 100 Bushels of Corn
In Less Than Seven Hours.

~Hoio was rushing IN the corn
stacks in John Duryea's corn field in
Uniondale, near Hampstead, Long Isl
aud, ono day recently, says tho Now
York Sun. Dir. Duryoa asserts if his
man, John II. Macy. can't do anything
elso no can h usk corn. Some timo ago
he backed him for 800 to husk 100
bushels Of corn in seven hours, tho man
to tako the corn as it stood stacked in
tho fold. Ho was to pull down the
stacks himself and tic aud set up tho
empty shcavos. Tho let was taken I'D
by number Of persons who considered
tho task an impo,sibility. Mac7's own
confidence in his ability was only lin
tied by tho extent of his pilc, as n
number of the farm hand, in that v;cin :
ity can now testify to their sorrow. The
match was to have taken place some
time ago but was postponed on account
of the weather.
The sun rose bright and warm on the
morning of the match. A big crowd
soon gathered about Mr.. Duryea's barn
in Uniondale. They spent their spare
tine admiring BIr. Duryea's famous
horses that have taken the first premium
every year at the Queens county fair and
looking at the stacks of corn in an adj.
joining three aero field. Nine O. clock
was the hour set for tho husking to be-
gin. Elgar Duryca was timer and
Uncle David Fowler was Judge.
Uncle David IS more than 50 years old.
lie has huskcd many bushcl of corn
in his life, and witnessed many husk-
ing match, but he now says ho never
saw so good man rs Macy. Macy is
tall, big boncd, and about 50 yc ars old,
with big blonde moustache. lie
looked like business, in SLOUGH hat
and flannel shirt and with his ovcralls
tucked in his boots. He was equipped
with an iron huslling peg of his own
invention. 1t was sharp on both sides
and had a slight bend in tho blade
near the handle.
The corn stood just rs it was stacked
up after cutting. There wcrc So hills
in each stack, and between two aud
one quarter and two and one half
bushels of ears to the stack. At the
word Macy attacked tho stack that
stood nearest him in the thrcc-acrc lot.
With ono stroke of his huskcr he rippcd
the bands that bound the stack. Then
he pulled the corn down, aud getting
on his knees began to make the cars
fly. He made only three movements in
hu'king an car. He caught the ear
with his left hand near the middle.
With his right hand he drove the
huskcr i'll through the middle of III,
husk, ripping it loose from the ear. A
twist Of his hands and the naked car
went spinning in the air. AS soon az
he got an armful of stalks he bound
and stood them up i'll jill. lie
left white and yellow wake of
corn behind him. At first
Mr.. Duryca put only one man to pick
up after the husker. Macy soon left
him so far behind that Mr.. Duryca put
another man to hep him. 1t made
their backs ache to keep up with Macy.
Uncle David said he thought Macj
could husk cora almost rs fast as nail
machine could turn out nails. Macy
huskcd the first eight stacks in IS
minutes. They contained 49, bushels.
In three hours, one minute and 40 sec.
onds he huskcd 81 stacks, making 55t
bushels. At the ond of six hours, 90
minutes and 81 seconds he had huskcd
46 stacks, making 102 bushels. This
gave him the match, with two. bushcl
margin, and 30 minutes, six seconds to
spare.
This, it is thought. beats the record
Of the world in husking corn. 1t is
said he could have finished the 100
bushels ten minutes sooner if he had
tired. When he got through every
sack was done up neat and strong, and
not an ear of corn remained on any
stalk he had gone over. Three single
wagon loads and one double wagon load
Of corn were hauled off the field. Macy
was apparently rs frcIh At TIL, end as
he was at the start The only mark on
his hands wa' where he got scratched
in taking down the last stack. He
challenges any person in the Unitcd
States to husk corn. Ho says he is
willing to pu.up from 500 to $500
that he can husk an car Of corn every
second for five minutes. This would
| be 800 cars in ALL The corn lie Eusked
is known as Duryea's Favorite. 1t is a
corn that Mr.. Duryea has been expert
mentino with for sixteen wears II