The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-06-15

weather, the best course to pursue de-
ponds on the relative cost Of shock and
stack thrashing. Investigations show
that stacking adds about one to one
and one-half cents Il bushel to the cost
of producing oats. AS thrashing outfits
are often not available when they are
wanted and as consequently the grain
is likely to be injured by weathering,
stacking is generally advisable, partic'
ularly in the humid section.
When grain Is stacked, 1t Is impor-
tant that the stacks be well built. If
the stacks are put up so carelessly that
they will not shed water, the grain
might bettSr be allowed to stand in the
shocks. The bottoms of the stacks
should be raised from the ground slight
ly by laying down old rails or other ma
terial to keep the straw from coming
in contact with the earth, thus prevent
ing the absorption Of moisture from be-
low. The shape of the stack Is less i'm
portant than the manner in which the
bundles are laid, though round stacks
probably shed water better than the
long ricks sometimes built.
Stacking should Be begun as soon as
the grain is well cured in the shock.
in about ten days to two weeks hitter
cutting. Round stacks are usually
about ten feet in diameter at the base.
The usual plan is to build four stacks
in setting, In pairs six feet apart
First build a large, round shock
about eight feet in diameter. Then
place two layers Of bundles, one direct
~ on top Of the other, with the heads
resting against the shock and the butts
forming the ten-foot base of the stack.
Make the next row with the butts just
covering the bands Of the other row.
In the same manner lay rows Of
bundles, like shingles, until the center
is reached, overlapping the rows lit
tie more toward the center of the
stack. When the first layer is COM
pleted, begin again at the outside and
build toward the center.
Shocked bundles have slAnting butts,
because they are set in the shock with
slight slant instead Of exactly up
right In building the outside rows
around the stack lay the long edge of
the butt on top and projecting beyond
the lower bundle. In this way the d.
ameter of the stack is gradually in
creased, forming the bulge. After a
height of seven or eight feet is reached
lay the outer bundles with the long
edge Of the butt beneath and just COW
ering the inner edge Of the layer just
completed. In this way the diameter
is gradually decreased and the stack is
tapered slowly to point.
Always keep the middle of the stack
high and firmly tramped down. Do
not tramp the outer layer at all. Keep
ing the middle high gives all the
bundles slant toward the outside and
helps to shed rain. At the peak, where
the bundles overlap, fasten capsheaf
securely by setting it on sharpened
stake driven into the top Of the stack.
A well-built stack ten feet in diameter
should be 20 to 25 feet high.
Thrashina.
AS previously stated, it is cheaper to
thresh directly from the shock if the
work can be done while the grain is
still in good condition. Thrashing from
| the shock Is often subject to delay
from rains, however. as the work must
wait until the bundles are dry. This
may mean the loss of one or even two
or three days after heavy rains. On
the other hand, If the grain is stacked,
! thrashing may be resumed almost as
soon as the rain stops. Grain may be
thrashed from the shock either before
or after it has gone through the sweat.
If it is thrashed before 1t goes through
the sweat, it will sweat in the bin,
but If it is dry-thrashed it will not be
injured. If the grain is damp when
thrashed, it sweats too much and Is
likely to become hot and be damaged
by bin burning. Stacked grain should
be allowed to go through the sweat be-
fore it is thrashed.
The separator should be well cleaned
before thrashing is begun, particularly
/ I III
where a different variety of oats Is
grown or if some other grain has just
been thrashed. Cleaning the separator
also prevents the bringing of weed
seeds from other farms. The operation
of the machine should be watched
carefully to see that all the grain Is
removed from the straw. 1t Is much
easier to do a clean job Of thrashine
when the grain is dry than when 1t Is
moist.
The straw should be run into the
NOW, where Is can be kept, under
cover or, if it must be stacked outside
the stack should be built carefully SC
that It will shed water. Dat straw Il
valuable roughage for live stock, be
ing much better for this purpose thar
the straw of wheat or barley. 1t Is also
Of value for bedding and the making
of manure, if it Is not all needed FOL
feed.