Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-07-22
SHOCK OR STACK
THRESHlNG, WHICH?
A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF A MOST IMPORTANT AND
TIMELY TOPIC BY MEN WHO KNOW WHAT
THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT

position in which one finds himself.
IT he has a job Of any considerable
amount and can get Il machine rea-
sonably soon, as well as plenty OF
help, he had better thrash out of the
shock, for in this way he takes no
chance Of damaged stacks. 1t is also
cheaper, everything considered. ul-
less one gets Il machine that is noted
for staying, because where so many
hands are employed the loss Of 4 few
hours day counts amazingly at pres
ent prices charged for labor.
On the other hand, ii Il man has a
small amount and does not know how
soon he can get Il machine, the fact
that ne does not know how to stack is
no excuse for shiftlessness. lie had
better take chances ona little dam
aged grain as an offset to the certain
advantage Of less help to operate the
machine, the use Of the field to CLEAN
with stock if practicable, loss Of grass
under the shocks and Of having the
grain badly bleached. Or, il the field
is to be plowed for fall sowing, there
is the advantage Of getting this done
early, which is always best and will
often increase the value OF the crop
One-llan
GEORGE W. WILCUX: prefer
stack thrashng to shock thrashing
,fv II nj,
teams are required in shock thrashing
ut a time when every farmer is very
busy, while if it should happen to
rain everything must stop. Should
this force of men and teams stop for
half All hour twice day enough time
Will be lost to have stacked the grain,
and besides this the help must all be
paid back.
In stack threshing neighbors gener-
ally exchange work, and with box
racks only four men and two teams
are needed. The grain goes through
the sweat either in stack or in the
bin. would prefer stacking as one
can thresh faster and the straw will
keep better than in straw stacks dur
ing the fall rains. After the grain is
stacked only eight or nine men are
necessary and this reduces the amount
of work for the cooks. Shock thrash
ing is done during the very hottest
weather, while by the stack method
it comes later in the fall in the cooler
weather and is consequently better
for all concerned.
THOMAS LAVERENTZ: here
by submit the following reasons for
or against thrashing ont Of stack or
shock. am in favor of stacking be-
cause it is more economical and as
far as time is concerned you can stay
ut home when you stack your gram.
What farmer is there that has not
travelled from one to three miles to
the place Of thrashing and often upon
arriving there has had to return
home again because Il little shower
not enough to make man look for
shelter-would come over and spoil
thrashing for the day? And even il
You did work all day you would not
get home until dark. You could prob
ably say the same about stack thrash
ing, but it is not likely that time of
the year, and you would only be away
half the number of days, as it takes
only half as many hands. When you
stack the grain it can be stacked in
the yard where the cattle can have
shelter in the winter and can rub the
flies off during the summer, while the
chickens can get all the stray kernels
OF grain besides plenty of exercise
hunting for them. In addition to this
YOU will have large manure pile that
will more than pay for the labor. In
thrashing from the shock this can
seldom be done on account of lack of
room in the yard for rack wagons and
grain wagons and lack of help to haul
the grain shocks home if they are
any distance from the house. Another
argument against shock thrashing is
that the straw gets nearly ali the
heavy rains that come along and in
the winte: IS frozen solid. 1t has
often been said that the butts of the
stack are almost lost, but that is not
necessary. first plow the ground
under the stacks then put little
straw on it to keep the dit from
hanging to the sheaves then | plOw
one furrOw around the setting and
i the butts will be rs good rs the top.
! use stakes about seven feet long and
and drive them down with an axe to