HARVESTING GRAIN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4016, 19 January 1892, Page 3

HARVESTING GRAIN.

A Few Suggestions. It cannot be urged too strongly upon farmers that in harvesting grain, early cutting is desirable. It is better to reap a little too soon than too late, Of course, barley, especially when grown for malting, must be quite ripe before being cut, but for oats and wheat the crops should not be allowed to fully ripen before the reaping is done, When is wheat fit to cut ? is answered in this way by a good authority; As soon as the milk in the grain is dried up, and the grain can with a little difficulty be bruised between thumb and finger. It is found tp produce more flour and less bran when cut in this stito than if left until dead ripe, Besides, the loss fjed by shedding in high winds is nearly so great, and the straw makes better fodder, The same rule of early harvesting applies to oats. By leaving oat crops too long before K the machine is brdught to operate upon them, what frightful losses often tako placo by the grain shedding, or by caterpillars coming along and . playing sad havoo with the crof. By allowing oats to become dead ripe before they are cut, a loss of 10 to 20 per cent may be the result, which is almost sure to occur during the cutting, slocking, carting and stacking. The straw is also not nearly so valu» able as food for stock, Where oats are grown for hay, and notfor grain, it is of essential importance that they aro harvested while green, before the seed forms, and while yet in a milky state. The stuff can be tied up in sheaves, and stooked all the same, • as it can ta handled better in sheaves,' nnd if rains come it will not be injured so much is if spread on the ground, For the dairy farmer oaten lmy of this character is much superior J«reshed oaten straw, as every sutler knows or should know.