The Lambertville record., 1910-10-07

TIME FOR HARVESTING GRAIN
t Left Uncut Until Dead Ripe Many
Varieties Loses Both in Quality
and Quantity.
CIV ROBERT H. .CAHooN1

(By ROBERT H. CAHOON)
Among the numerous mistakes that
eao to enormous wastes on the farm,
ew are more worthy of attention
han that of letting grain. oats, wheat.
We, corn, etc. get too ripe before har-
testing.
No one can ride about the country
n summer without being struck and
.mazed at the prevalence Of this er-
or.
You will notice field after field that
las reached, or is approaching, the
eriod of dead ripeness, and that ought
have been harvested several days
,efore.
The loss arising from this source is
more appreciable and more easily es-
imated. perhaps in wheat, of which
ve cultivate comparatively little, than
{ is In other grains, like oats and rye,
ut the same general principle applies
ALL
If wheat is cut two weeks or SO be-
ore 1t fully ripens, 1t contains more
,luten and starch and bushel will
Weigh more, and it will make larger
luantity and better quality of -four.
With less quantity of bran or mid
llings than II 1t were allowed to ripen.
his Is by no means matter Of
heory. 1t Is the result Of careful OBJ
ervation.
The straw will begin to change color
lightly two or three weeks before the
rain comes to complete maturity.
In the best and most favorable sea-
ons 1t will begin to ripen and change
olor at the bottom. In some less IA
orable seasons the upper joints turn
irst
In the great wheat-growing sections
4 the far East, where wheat-growing
S carried on to a much greater extent
han 1t is here, they have studied this
'oint more carefully than we have.
The best farmers begin to cut while
portion of the stalk Is green, as soon
s the kernel has passed from the
milky" to the "doughy" state.
The stalk has then begun to change
olor, sometimes from the bottom,
ometimes for three or four inches be-
ow the head.
A most careful and accurate expert
nent was made to ascertain the DIFF
erence, taking wheat. first, when It
vas green; second, a week after, when
t was changing color; and third, when
ully ripe.
The result was in the first case 19A
'ushels an acre; in the second, 23A;
the third, 23A; and the same Diff
erence was found In the straw.
The total value an acre was: in that
nut green. $62.30: in that cut one week
lfter, when the stalk was yellow be-
ow the ear. $64.61; In that cut one
week after. when fully ripe. $56.13.
The first two productions had more
Inc -four and less bran than that cut
asst, showing that gluten Is converted
nto starch in standing to get fully
ipe.
When either end of the stalk turns
Fellow, the sap ceases to flow, and the
overing or shell of the kernel thick
ms and becomes hard, and of course
dves larger proportion Of bran and
ess fine -four
Beside, in early cutting there is less
oss from shelling out in handling, and
rom high winds. which involves a
ery heavy loss In ripened grain.
Now what is true of wheat is, In the
main, also true of other small grains
ats and rye. If We raise them for
eed to SOW again, they ought to be
flowed to ripen fully. but If for grind
ng or for feed for animals, they
hould be cut early, If they would be
n their best and most rutritive condi-
ion.