St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-09
GET READY FOR THE CROP.

The farmers of the Northwest
should not again be taken by sur
prise or at a disadvantage as they
We're in the harvest season of 1891.
They will remember that in that
year a considerable portion of the
splendid wheat crop was either lost
or injured by their inability to take
care of it properly in time. When
the grain came to be harvested, it
was found that the crews were short.
there was not Irvine at hand
sufficient to bind the sheayes. there
We're not men enough to stack the
grain, and thousands of bushels of
splendid wheat went to waste be-
cause it was exposed for weeks to
the inclemency of the weather. There
will be no excuse if this experience
is repeated the present year. Up to
date the outlook is good for wheat
crop approaching in abundance that
OF the banner year in our history.
From every part of the Northwest
w
come reports which say that the
condition of the grain at the present
time could not be more promising.
In many places it stands so thick
that the eye cannot penetrate be-
tween the crowded stalks, and it is
heading out superbly. If nothing
interferes between this and harvest
to injure the growing or maturing
grain, it will be more than the farm
ers can take care of with their pres
ent resources.
Although the unemployed in our
cities have mostly found occupation,
thanks to the improvement of the
times and the Starting up of in
dustries everywhere, there are still
plenty of men to be had for farm
work at reasonable wages. The
farmers ought not to wait until their
fields are ready for the reaper be-
fore they engage the necessary help.
They should, to some extent, organ
pare notes as to their requirements
and get their forces ready. The
same policy should be pursued in
reference to the purchase of binding
Irvine, the supply of which in the
Northwest is certain to be INSULT
Gent. Whenever there is a big crop.
&c
ability to take care of it than would
make up to the farmer the deficiency
of other years when the crop is a
comparative failure.
Among the careless habits of
too many of our farmers is
that of expecting to have their
grain threshed in the field as
the sheaves are gathered in, and
consequently making no preparation
for protecting the grain in case a
heavy crop prolongs the threshing
season, or rains interfere with pre-
pairing it for market. Every
farmer ought to count from the out
BET upOH STACKING his wheat as soon
as it has been cut. The amount of
additional labor required is nothing
when compared with the additional
safety secured. Wheat properly
stacked is good against any assault
Of the weather, even in this latitude,
for months to come; and the farmer
ran thresh out the grain as his leis-
ure and convenience and the state of
the market may direct.
We think that too much impor-
lance cannot be placed upon active
preparation from this day forward
for harvesting operations, upon a
more thorough-going plan than has
commonly prevailed in the North
west. Local agencies should ascer-
tain, as far as possible, the amount
Of extra help that will be required,
and application should be made to
the cities to furnish men for the
Fields. There is plenty of work for
.he next two months in this section