Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1874 — How to Stack Grain. [ARTICLE]

How to Stack Grain.

Where there is barn room it is always best to put grain crops under roof, but where they have to be stacked out from necessity the work should be done in a careful manner. The better way, under most circumstances, is to stack at the barn, then the grata is near the granary when if leaves the machine, and the straw may be saved where it is needed for feeding, bedding and manure. In building a stack of sheaves the following rules, adopted from Our own experience, will be found, perhaps, of

profit to some of our inexperienced readers at this time: Where a pen is not used for foundation set up two bundles against each other, and others against these until a circle is formed sloping from center to circumference, eacfi row half the length of a sheaf further out than the one before it. Carry out the foundation in this way until it is of the desired size, and then at the outside lay a double row of bundles and press them down well. The foundation being now prepared, build upon it by laying the tiers of sheaves from the outside toward the cfenter, each row lapping butts tO"'bands. Gradually lay out until the stack has attained the height desired—that is, let each row of bundle butts project over a trifle further than the one beneath, so that the circumference of the stack will gradually increase in size as it goes up to a half-wav point, ahd then gradually draw it in until the tbp is reached. Caution must be used not to make the stack too flaring; it is only necessary to make a difference in the circumference of the base and centei to obtain the desired object, that of protection against heavy rain-storms. When building the stack, always keep the center a little the highest, and well tread down, for in this lies the great secret of having either grain or hay keep well. The outer surface, by being less compact, will settle a little more tli&n the center, and consequently protect the whole from damage by not retaining moisture. Wc have found it g good plan to let one tier of bundles project some four inches at the point where it is decided to begin drawing in for the top; this furnishes what may be termed eaves. If the stack is to stand an indefinite time before threshing, it will pay to give considerable attention to thatching the top; at all events it should have a topping out of bog grass or poor hay.— Ohio Farmer.