HARVESTING CEREALS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 7, 23 January 1937, Page 19

HARVESTING CEREALS

Best f ime for Cutting A matter sornetimes neglected is the cuttingj of cereals at the mdst suitable stage of ripefieSS. InVestigation has. shown that the best stage at which to cut wheat generally is when the gieen colour has been replaced by yellow in the seetion of the fetem between the top knot and thfe head of about 99 per cent. of the straws. At this stage all knots are still green and nd tdoUgh can be squeezed from the grain, which, howevdr, is still soft enough to cUt with the- thumb nail. ,The best time to bUt oats depends to a large extent upon the use to which the erop is to be put. When value is ,attached to the straw for feeding jpurposes the crop should be CUt parly. This is Whfen there is ju'St a' shade. of yellow ovCr the field ; at this Stage, the ■fobd materials have tiot passed as extensivdly as later otit of the leaves and shoots, ahd the tiutritive value of the ercip ' as a whole is higher than later When it has become more woody. An the result of, early cutting the graifi does not develop fully and is qf lbwer weight and. quality. The bpst time to eut oats for general purposeS is Wheft . the crop has developed a , unifdrm yellqwish appearance and betofe its final .toueh of green has disappearjed. The grain will then be able to maturfe in the stock and there is little'risk ofdoss durifig, harveStifig. Barley should be allowed to bfecome dead ripe before it is CUt. At this stage the straw is practically dry, the grains -are hard, and the ears tend to bend over.