South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-28
HAY STACKERS TO
AID HARVESTING
Unloading by Machine Re-
leases Hand Power by
Use of Horses.

Thousands of farmers who faced
the harsestins Il large hay crop
last year with fewer hands than
usual 20 help do the work owe their
succeFs IN handling and saving their
crop TO hay stackers. The hay stack
er is 20 stacking what the horse fork
is 10 putting hay in the barn. a saver
OF man and labor. II lifts the hay
on the stack b. morse power instead
% man power When hay is loaded
ca the wagon By hand and unload
cd by a stacker one-half Of the hand
labor Is eliminated. II push rakes
Or hay loaders are used in connection
with the stacker the laboIous task
Of pitching by hand is entirely
avoided
These points are brought out IL
Farmers Bulletin 1909. recently
published by the United states de-
partment Of agriculture. which de-
scribes the different types of stack
ers IN use, discusses the conditions
favorable FOR each type. and tells
how to make them.
Nstlui In Fast.
IN the east and south, where much
OF the hay grown IS stored under
cover. a stacker could be- used TO
advantage when il becomes neces-
sary 20 stack. especially where labor
is scarce. A boy who can drive "a
team can take the place Of u man
in the haying operation. Two men
and boy using a loader and stacker
srill handle about IS percent moro
hay for each man during a day than
three-man crew loading and un-
loading by hand.
Hay stackers are classed by the
bulletin in two general types. one
having teeth on which the nay is
gathered and brought 10 the stack on
push racks the other consisting OF
stackers that do not receive hay di-
rectly from push racks, but handle
II by means OF horse forks or slings.
Both types are comparatively in
expensive and can usually be made
at home with material that is avail
able or which can be readily as
sembled en- the farm.
A stacker viii last from 10 TO L
years under ordinary conditions and
the cost Of repair IS small on %
farms in central Kansas. which stack
an average OF IA tons of hay a
year, all charges against the stackers
amounted 10 less than cents a ton
when the yield was one ton an
acre.
size OF Stacks.
In building haystack with a
stacker il Is scarcely economical 10
make one containing less than 10
tons. according 10 the bulletin. In
locating stacks long or difficult
hauls should be avoided whenever
possible. II is very common on many
farms 10 see stacks Of hay at the
end or corner Of the field next 10 the
farm buildings. the site being chosen
IN order 20 have the hay handy for
feeding The total distance travelled
in bringing hay 10 one side OF a
square field is approximately so per
cent greater than in hauling TO tho
center. II the stack is located at
on corner Of the field, the distance
travelled is 100 percent greater.
To minimize damage by moisture
from the ground. care should be
taken 10 keep the hay in the bottom
OF the stack from coming in contact
with the soil. The aim Of all good
stack builders Is 20 make a stack
that will not take water" This can
be accomplished by traMping the
middle well and always keeping il
higher than the edges during the
process Of building To give the
a.
ers provide a canvas cover or sheets
OF corrugated galvanized iron roofing
which. when properly put on, prac-
tically eliminates less from rain.