Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-12-25

be put in the crib without damage. Every
day after this the corn is apt to become
more or less damaged in the field. The
autumn days are longer than those of
winter. With gloves a man cannot husk
corn so fast as without them; and he
cannot husk so fast in December or jan
uary, when his bare fingers will often be
numb, as be can in November, when the
weather is more agreeable and the days
are longer. The earlier the ears are
gathered the earlier the cattle can be put
in the field, and the more and better
feed they will get. When two men are
at work it is best to drive over row,
each man taking his turn on the 'down
rows" The horses should be muzzled,
not on account of the corn they eat, but
because they waste it. Perhaps the best
muzzle is a hand made basket just large
enough to cover the nose and mouth. 1t
is made Of hickory slips, and any
farmer can make 1t. Many con-
slider this muzzle better than the wire
basket.
If boy can be had at half wages let
him husk the down row, as the men
otherwise will lose some time while going
from the side to the rear of the wagon.
When there are two men at work have
two wagons; then one man can husk
while the other puts the load In the crib.
If the. man remaining in the field throws
the corn on the ground it must be han
died again, and thus effort is wasted.
When one man gathers let him take two
or three rows on the left side of the
wagon (unless he is left-handed), driving
over the last row husked. He should
have high extra board on the side OF
the wagon farthest from him. Every
wagon used in gathering corn should be
fitted with scooping table or the
rear. The best substitute for this IS
board four feet long and wider than the
scoop, one end resting on the rear end
gate and the other on the end Of the bed.
The lines should be fastened through
loops put in the side of the wagon-bed
nearest to the man and in the rear end
gate; then if the team is frightened (and
horses are frequently frightened in field
of ripe CORN, the man can speedily get
at the lines from either the side or the
rear of the wagon; moreover, lines sc
arranged are not i'll the way of the
corn.
Some men are much faster huskers
than others, and this is largely owing to
the better way in which they grasp the
ear. If the corn is to stand in the crib
for some time the silk should be taken
off as we'll as the husk. The silk faVors
mice and mold more than the husk, and
detracts much from the appearance of
Oil fN
grasp the ear at the point with the left
hand; pull back the husk with the right
hand; catch the point of the ear with the
same hand; shove the left hand, grasp
ing the silk and under husks, to the butt
of the ear, and break off the ear by
quick upward movement OF the right
hand. The movement of the right hand
back to the point of the ear, and of the
left hand from the point of the ear to the
butt, can be made almost simultaneously.
Some men can easily crib five bushels per
hour, husking in this way, of corn that
yields forty bushels, shelled, to the acre.
When occasional silks and husks adher-
ing to the ears are allowable, as they are
| when the corn is to be fed in o short
time, the best plan is to grasp the butt
of the ear, firmly, with the left hand;
strip back with the right hand, the husks
toward 1t; grasp the ear about its mid
die with the right hand, and by quick
upward jerk lift it out of the remaining
husks and break it off.
Many prefer steel or bone husk1ng
peg, slightly curved in front of the hand.
| It should be half an inch broad, else it
will blister or callous the hand. The
best preventive of cracked fingers is
thorough washing in rain water with
CASTLE soap, and amounting with glycer.
inc, rubbing it in we'll. The best cure
is shoemaker's wax put on bit of cloth
and pressed over the crack when warm.
! american Agriculturist.