HARVESTING WHEAT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1609, 14 February 1884, Page 2

HARVESTING WHEAT.

.Mr E, Si Lees Bends tho "following .Interesting- lettor to the " Ota»o Daily Times":— ' ; , Aa there seems' a great probability of ; oav having showery weather during the coming harvest, I would urge upon tW farmers the advisability of putting their wheat as soon aa out into what are called " paddy stacks.!' " ■ This plan is probably, known to many, but for ttie benefit of those who may be unacquainted with it I will briefly describe it. • As soon as the grain is cut, instead of atooking it in the' | ordinary way, a large circular stook is formed' by plaoing four sheaves in the centre and building round till it is ono; and a half to two yards in diameter,' butts firmly planted and beads well laid' in; a second tier is then placed on the: top of tho first in the samo way, the butts' of the outside Blieaves covering the headsof the lower ones,'and'the heads of the j upper tier so brought together that a : ! couple of.cap sheaves with the''heads down and the butts'drawn to, a, point and tied,' will coyer thfcwhqlo.;' To'Jsecure the ataok .against wi'naii couple of ties of binding wire or string may be thrown across and } Tho plan certainly takes more time than ordinary stoolnrig, but'wheat so put up may stand outifor weeks in perfect safety, and men,soon learn to build these' stacks quickly, xlhd this practice been universallyfollowecl-' -during last 'harvest farmers would .have been richer by. thousands' of pounds;. .O&ts and-barley; will hardly do to treat in this wflyi.as' unless very ripe whin cut' there would.be a danger ; of heating. Wheat tied with 'too or string is well adapted for this style of harvesting, as there are no bands tooheck the wet !in running, off; where bands are used the knots of headb on the outer, row .of sheaves 'should be placed inside, .Wheat cut bofore it is dead ripe Becured in the abovo manner will, I believe, produce a better sample of grain jthan' if allowed to stand in ordinary stooks. '