The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-23
A FOURTH IS
NOT THRESHED
Professor Bolley Tells Farm
ers How to Treat Grain
Under Snow.

With one-fourth of the grain that
was raised in the state not YET
thrcshed. the problem Of what to do
with the grain which is under the
snow Is becoming one of very Nital
interest to the farmers. especially
those of the western part OF the STATE.
According to the reports OF Inc cetteE
farming men. threshing Is now neine
done in tho northwestern part Of the
state. After examining the reports
which had been sent in from the
various sections of the state. Director
Thomas Cooper declared yesterday
that probably % per cent of the grain
was not yet threshed. Most OF this
is in the northwestern part OF the
state. Practically all of the thrcshtng
has been done In the eastern. central
and southeastern parts OF the state.
while in the southwestern very nearly
all Of the threshing has been done,
while most of what is left has been
stacked.
Conditions in the northwestern part
of the state are not Of the best. Snc"
came carly In many places. covering
the grain before ii could he threshed
or stacked. In some places high
after il had been cut. scattering 1t
and making it less fit to Withstand the
moisture.
Under these conditions a word from
Prof. III. l.. Bollcy in regard to the
best method To care for grain which
is under the sno will prove timely.
His article is especially interesting
in that he takes exception TO mueh
that has heen said in regard to the
stacking of grain. MIR. Bolley SAYS;
Just now it seems popular for
everybody to scold or advise the
farmer regarding the point whether
or not he SHOULD have stacked his
grain before the fall rains and snow
came on. am one who believes that
to" many people have given advice in
This matter who do not quite Mno
what they arc talking about.
Every few of the people VIII" have
thus advised or scoldcd the farmer
on the subject Of stacking know how
difficult il is to make ii good stack.
one which will not spoil. Very few
Of them seem tn understand that the
work Of stacking is much slower than
the Work of threshing. One good man
can pitch bundles faster that n
capable stacker can stack them. II
WOULD seem. if this is true. that there
would he slight argument for stack
ing if a threshing machine is avail
able. Tho writer also knows that this
fail rains followed the reapiEg so
rapidly that there never was Il time
when il was safe to stack the straw.
Straw ran he threshed with consider
able danpness in it. but it cannot be
stacked under this condition.
The Grain Under the Snow.
The fact remains that very much
grain is under the either in
loose bundles as in the case of flax
or in the shock. as in the case nj
wheat n other cereals. 1t is taken
for granted that every farmer knows
that grain should be dry as possible
when threshed. or he may expect :"
have trouble with it from heating.
moulding. discolorati"n. etc, Just nov
] have only TWO cautions to offer:
Those who did not get enough O.
their grain. whether wheat ar fax. o.
other seed tllrcshed while dry to pro-
vide seed for sowing next year. sh"ult
keep 1t well in mind that they are 10:
safe In using any of the seed whirh
has lain u ovel the winter in the
sn0W or otherwise. fo: snwin" pur-
poses without mnkirg "r h"v;.'- n .de
very 'nr"ful termination to-, 10 d..
terr IN" it's strength Of .:~uv-'',. Barley
nr ti'S. OF corn which has hcen
frozen while damp iS. - limos; all
cases. "ss.'ti''ly -. Wheat
s"np'S to strad slr', -, .!itiuns some
what l.ett"r. hut is always damaged
very severely.
ut must t.. .mncrad. towov"r.
rat good. grain which Was
dry r'1er =" ell on it may pass
thro"'.h ~ )" $. so that the germ
'n"tiHa tlaterially injured. Tn
fort" ii; most cases the grain
WAS wei or soft when the snou came.
How to Treat Flax.
9TH" second caution is a special
one with reference to fax. Very larse
Arnnc <f %1,1 Ns1~tS. Th.J-H --.-. 49,
either remain unlarvested or are Is
ing in l"osc bundles uuder the snow
During tho previous Year VIC had
similar experience. Those who trio.
to thrcsh the fax while the snou WA
In the bundles had a great nc
OF trouble to get out the ice and SNOW
Many OF them who shipped this mix
turc of ice. sno" and tiaX to elevators
and mills lost very heavily OH the
price which WIS paid them. In some
cases the grain was ruined before it
reached the Twin Cities. by mating
together in solid cakes Of mouldy.
heated material. Many Of them who
left the grain u.threshcd until it
dried off In the spring Jared much
better. Often such fax iced was
In almost as good condition
a " 1t had been threshed in the fall
bri"ro the snow came. Some farm
crs harvested flax that saved q lar-c
amount of seed of good quality for
oil purposes.
1T Is remembered. however. thu.
no one can he II weather prophct X
1t had rained heavily during March
and April it is probable that tl1ose.
who left their grain till spring would
not ave been able to take ii off.
The meat of the matter is essen.
tally this: Each farmer II study
his crop carefully and If a t,m1..
comes when it can actually he
threshed free from moisture. that is
the time to take the grain out If II can
possibly be " 1t is quite certain
that there is only a c~omparatiyeiv
nor time during the spring between
winter and seeding time When ms
grain Will be dry enough to thrcsh.
Ut Is not safe to ship fax seed in
bulk even with a small amount az
snow and ice In it. though this some.
times can be lone in the very cold
est weather If the people at tho term.
inal n are prepared to remove the
Ice: learn from the commission uer,
n elevate men that they do NOT
IKE to undertake to handle such FAX
seed: Therefore. 1t will be wise for
the farmer to make every effort he
can to get his flax out of the STR. W
when the straw is dry"
AnEI.p DIT nEpATEno