Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-09-16
SHOCKING CORN.
Poor Results Are Generally Due K
Not Tying the Shock Properly
How to do the Work.


The most important point in shock
ing corn is to properly tie the shock.
The most common objection to shock
ing corn in the South is that owing
to the damp climate the corn does not
cure we'll in the shock The whole
trouble is usually that the shock is not
properly tied The. man who knows
how cures his corn successfully even
in the low coastal plain sections of the
South, while the man who does not tie
his shocks properly may fail any
where.
Our corn grows tall, and without
bench to stand on it is almost impos
sible to tie the band high enough to
so compress the top of the shock that
it will shed water well. Again if the
shocks are large or the band tied
little too low, no man with the usual
ring or hook and rope can draw the
sock tight enough by hand to make 1t
shed water properly. The ring or
hook and rope is also Objectionable for
drawing up the shock for the band.
because it is apt to start the shocks
to twisting, and a shock that once
until it goes down.
fields shocked and tied in such a man
ner that they are certain to damage
badly if a wet spell of weather comes
before the corn is cured and housed.
The tops of the shocks are open so as
to catch all the rain that falls, and If
the corn damages the owners will con-
denim this method of harvesting corn
when the trouble is not in the method
H., AL oso1, sI oGrc
are made, and chiefly in the manner in
which they are tied. Unless the shock
is built and tied so that the top is
sharp and tight, so as to shed water,
it is not properly made, and the corn
will cure out and keep well only in
case the weather is favorable.
There are devices made and sold
for pulling the top of the shock to-
gether, but in the absence of one Of
these a homemade device made as fol-
lows serves we'll. The only point at
which it is inferior to the patented af
fairs is that it requires two men to
operate it, as one most hold the shock
drawn together while the other ties
the band
Take piece of strong wood-an old
buggy sharft does well-about four
I06C long. sharpen one 6nQ SO IL Will
go through the shock readily. At the
other end attach a cross piece about
two feet long to be used as lever for
twisting the rope around the shock. If
the base of the first piece of wood is
large enough, a hole may be board II
it a few inches from the end and the
cross-piece inserted. In order to get
strength with small size, this cross
piece may run through hole in tho |
longer piece and be a one-half inch ]
iron rod, or three-fourths inch gas !
pipe. A piece of cotton rope is attach
ed at the point where the stocks cross
the sharp end of the long stick thrust |
through the shock the loose end of the
rope passed around the shock and !
again made fast to the cross sticks |
Then by turning the short cross stick |
or lever the rope is wound up and the |
shock can be drawn up very tight !
When tight enough it may be tied with |
binder Irvine or other material. If the |
corn is tall it will pay 10 carry a |
bench along to stand on while tieinS |
the shock-Dr Butler in Progressive !
Farmer,