WHEN SHOULD WHEAT BE CUT?
About a quarter of a century ago a very 7 animated discussion was carried on among agriculturists on the question whether wheat should be allowed to become fully ripe before being cut or should be cut down while still green. By this time the minds of farmers should be fully 7 made up on the question, but it would appear that the point has never been settled. No doubt excellent crops have been gathered in by the holders of very contradictory opinions on the subject, and failures have resulted in the practice of the holdei’s of both theories. The latest information on the subject comes from Mr Edward Mortlock, wlxo recounts the experience of an English farmer, Mr Fyson, who always cuts his crops when gx-een. He has held his farm for fifty 7 years, and he says tha: his long experience has taught him that corn should be cut much earlier than is cus‘omary with most farmers. In July 7 of the last y 7 ear he got in his crop 185 acres, which averaged five quarters, or texx sacks, per acre. His rule is to cut the wheat as soon as it looks dead at the bottom, though it is green in the straw above. He believes that the wheat when cut still feeds on the sap left in the straw, and he thus obtains a bold grain of bright color, which realises a market price higher than his neighbours can get. No doubt a gx-eat deal depends oxx the care bestowed on the harvesting, and it does not follow that those who adopt Mr Fyson’s system would realise his success. The theory that the wheat feeds on the green straw is plausible enough, but so it would, it maybe presumed, if left standing. The testimony of Mr Fy 7 son as to the sxxccess which attends actixxg upon his rule is valuable, even if it bo insufficient to induce its general adoption. The intelligent farmer will bear it in mind, and avail himself of the alternative of acting upon it in case other cii-cumstances should conduce to make it desirable to exxt earlier that be would otherwise have considered safe. The rxxle that the straw should be dead at the bottom appears to bo a good one, for no more sap will then be cix-awn from the earth. It is safe, it would seem, to cut wheat at any time between the ripening of tlxe bottom straw and the compete ripenin' 1 of the ear. This knowledge should bo of value when labor is sc a-ee an. I cropi on a great breadth of hind ripen about the same time.—Exchange.
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Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 113, 15 January 1879, Page 3
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448WHEN SHOULD WHEAT BE CUT? Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 113, 15 January 1879, Page 3
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