The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-10-16
CARING FOR CORN AFTER CUTTING.

Inc best method is to cut the o
o sto7er just after the grain comes
out of the doughty state or becomes
hard. The harvesting should be
done with a harvester if there is any
considerable quantity, but if the
held is small, then a common weed
ing hoe, with helve cut to a length
OF two feet, is the best implement to
use. 1t is much cheaper and better
than all the cane knives or special
knives made.
Allow the corn to lie on the ground
one or two days, if there is no dan
ger OF rain. After the dew is off on
the hrst or second day put it up in
shocks of about 200 stalks, using a
rack or horse" to start the shock
on, consisting of a pole with two
hales in one end, into which six foot
sticks T thrust for legs.
After shock is built in the shape of
wigwam, or one then pull the top
IN with rope and small pulley and
tie with tarred Irvine, being careful
to tie IN a bow knot. Be sure that
all the stalks are straight, as they
will shed the water much better.
80 far so good, but right here is
where many fail; when the corn
shrinks, the string will become loose
and thereby allow the shock to bend
over, and the rain easily enters the
crown, right here is where the
damage is done for the water falling
on the sides will run off, but when it
falls on the crown it runs down into
the heart of the shock, and rots the
inner stalks. To prevent this, take
n string and the rope and pulley
and go round, ten days or two weeks
after the shocking, and draw the
heads in tight again, and tie with
the extra string then pull the bow
knot of the string with which it was
tied before, and take this string and
pass on to the next shock, and so on
until all is re-tied.
After standing in the shock about
two months the ear will be found to
be dry and hard, and the stalks dry
and nicely cured. Haul to the barn
and husk, or shuck out the corn,
leaving the shuck on the stalk. Put
the ears at once into the bin or crib,
as there will be no trouble about
heating.
Cut up the shucks, fodder and
stalk, with a cutter, or a shredder,
and pack away for winter. 1t is
usually more convenient to have
the cutter under a shed near the
barn and run an elevator to the top
of the barn.
The slower is found to constitute
nearly half the value of the plant.
Of course it may be more ecOnOm-
ical7in many instances to leave the
standing, and slip-shuck the
corn, then turn the cattle on the
stalks and shuCks.
When the fields can be grazed and
the hay crop is abundant, this plan
should be adopted. But if the far
mer wants to make so much feed
that he will be compelled ''to tear
down his barns and build greater, .
so say nothing of buying extra stock
to eat up the food, then let him try
this method of curing his corn. He
not only has an abundance of red-
sonably rich food, but all that the
cattle refuse to eat will serve for
bepding, and will not only keep the
animals clean, but will absorb all the
liquid manures.
The usual method Of getting in the
crop is to pull the corn in the fall
and haul the ears to the barn, leav-
ing the stalks in the field. When
grain only is needed, this method OF
course answers but on the average
farm it is willful waste. B. IRBY.
WILMINGTON MARKET.