THE TIME TO CUT GRAIN.

Mataura Ensign, 26 January 1911, Page 5

THE TIME TO CUT GRAIN.

"Y.D." writes to the Christchurch •Pi ■ess': —"Your North Canterbury correspondent makes some reference to wheat being cut on the green side. I should like to impress it on the farmers that in tiiis country, which is liable to winds of high velocity, and where much of the wheat area is greatly exposed, there should be no unnecessary delay allowed when the harvest is maturing. Wheat is better for being cut on the early side, for the grain weighs heavier. Neither wheat nor oats need be left standing till the kernels get hard. AVhen the ear changes color, and pressure or scraping with the linger fails to draw moisture from the straw, the grain cut and stooked will continue to get plump and full. Wheat cut under the ripe side will stand a fair amount of rain, while a dead ripe wheat crop, standing uncut, will receive injury from only a small quantity of rain. Ha in on fully ripe wheat standing uncut causes the chaff to shed the corn wiion a di ving sun takes effect, and causes loss by shaking on the harvesting machine, as well as in the forking to fix; stack or threshing machine. Oats left too long shell out badly. Barley, when ripening, takes -njury from rain more than any other grain crop. In all green crops let me advise my fellowfarmers that the crops must be cut to suit their conditions, and at their time, and to delay cutting to suit the convenience of themselves, or their sons, or their servants, is a mistake, they must.deal with wheat crops when they are ready, it>id it invariably means loss to conclude the crops will wait till they are harvested without incurring great risk."