The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-05-29

Suggestions for the Proper Handling
of Wheat and Oats-Cuttlng for
Hay and Cutting for Grain.


The department. has sent out to it's
agents throughout the South sugges-
lions for the proper handling of wheat
and oats In this region. Where il Is
expected that the entire crop is TO be
fed on the farm. and especially In
neighborhoods where threshing ma
chimes are not readily available, It Is
recommended that both the wheat and
oats should be either cut for hay or
else tied into medium-slzed bundles
to be fed In the straw.
IL intended for hay. both wheat and
oats should be cut when the grain va
ries from the milk" to the very soft
dough stage. At this time the stalks
Will be mostly green or just beginning
to show signs OF ripening below. At
ter cutting they should be cured and
handled exactly as any OF the common
grass hays. Under favorable condi-
;'ons the hay will then have a bright
green color. II the cutting Is delayed
until tho grain is In the fun dough
stage tho hay will be dry. hard. ana
eieaehed. and the feeding value di-
minished.
IL is intended to feed the grain I'm
the straw, tho cutting should be put
on until the grain has reached the
hard dought stage and most OF the
stalks have taken on yellow color.
Under favorable weather conditions
the grain will cure sufficiently for
storage purposes in six or eight days
IL put up In carefully made round
shocks OF nine bundles each. includ-
Ing one cap bundle. Near the coast
where frequent rains are TO be expect
cd at this season. grain should be put
In small shocks. containing only six
bundles. and left uncapped so that
IL VIII dry out quickly after a rain. 1t
Is unnecessary TO tear down and spread
these small shocks after rains, as IL
sometimse Is with larger ones. The
bundles. OF course. should be shock
ed Immediately In order TO avoid the
possibility of loss from bad weather.
When the crop is grown not for
Feeding purposes but for sale or for
seed the cutting should be postponed
still further until the grain has pass /.
ed the hard drought stage. II II is
permitted to become dead ripe. how
ever. the quality Is not so good and
the loss from shattering considerable.
Where the self-blnder can not be
used the cutting may be done a little
earlier than otherwise. The grain
shocked I'm the manner already men
toned. should be LETT In the field un-
III IL IL Thoroughly cured and then
threshed without delay IL no thresh-
ing machine Is available at once. the
grain should be either stacked or
stored In "a barn during the interval.
On small farms where storage space
ls not abundant II will probably pay
the farmer TO sell the grain as soon
ls II IL threshed. With the exercise
II little cooperation ne may arrange
with the nelghbors To make up a sufIi
cient quantity to ship out as a carload
II this In done the freight car can b,
'oadcd direct from the farmers wag.
ON. IL is important TO remember
however. that the car should be load.
eel without delay In order To avoid
demurrage charges. Wheat and oat.
should not Dc loaded into the same cal
unless II Is absolutely necessary. Mix.
ed shipments OF this kind can not b,
handled 90 good advantage In the mar,
ket.
In the case OF oats Il Is also posi-
BILE Co dispose advantageously OF tn,
crop by shipping II In bags to grair
brokers or feed dealers In ncarb,
towns. When this IL done, however
II IL of great importance To have tn,
oats cleaned and OF uniform quality
one hundred-pound bags are probab bl,
the most satisfactory. When thes,
are shipped into another state tn,