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A Revised and Illustrated Treatise

ON

GRAIN STACKING

CALVING

Instructions how to Properly Stack Bourd Graig sa as
to Preserve, in the best possible manner, for

THRESHING and MARKET,

So.as to Furnish a Comprehensiv ga

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Vw Wety OF wasuids
JOHN N. DELAMATER, .
NORWALK, OHIO,
4884.

-#

Copyright 1884 by
JOHN N. DeLAMATER,
All Rights Reserved.

“Pup NORWALK CHRONICLE Print.

#2 PREFACE. G*

So far as I am aware, this is an untried field
of labor—a work which I have had under consid-
eration for the last fifteen years; during which
time the closest attention has been given to de
tails of building, and careful observations made
on results, when the stacks were being taken down.

JOHN N. DsLAMATER.

AN ELLIPSE.

TPBATISE ON GRAIN STACKING,

PLACING FOUNDATION.

If convenient, make a foundation of rails, by

placing three rails about four and one-half feet
apart and parallel, and then add half or two thirds
the length of a rail to each, and cover by laying
. rails crossways, and finish by laying a large rail
or post in the center lengthways.

This will form a foundation large enough for ten
or twelve large loads. If rails, poles or boards
cannot be had for an entire foundation, endeavor
to get something to support the heads of a few
center sheaves; for if sheaves are set on end to
commence a stack, the middle is apt to settle too

much.

COMMENCING TO BUILD.

On the rail foundation, lay around the center
in the form of an ellipse, with the heads lapping
well across the center rail; lap half and continue
to lay towards the outside until foundation is
covered. Now commence at the outside and lay a
course around, neither laying out or drawing in,

—6—

except to correct any little error that may occur in
the elliptical form of the stack; complete the
courses to the center, but don’t fill the middle too
full; if the outside is lower than the middle, lay a
double course around outside; keep your stack
flat—full as high at outside as center; build the
first load straight up, neither laying out or draw-
ing in, if the stack is to contain ten or twelve loads;
(See figure 1) if eight or nine, lay the last course
out a little. : |

FIGURE ONE.

LAYING OUT.

If the stack is flat and as near an ellipse as the
eye can judge, laying out and keeping the stack
properly balanced will be very easy. Drive alter-
nate loads on opposite sides of the stack; this will
help to keep the stack properly balanced. If the
eye deiects a place that seems to be lower than — |

the general level, it will be found that it was
caused by laying out more there than at other

——

points; to remedy this defect, draw in the next
outside course at the low point, six, eight or ten
inches, according to the depression. The greater
the depression, the more it should be drawn in,
and the next inside course at the low point should
be shoved out nearly to the buts of the outside
course, (See figure 2)

FIGURE TWO.

then continue to build as though nothing had
happened. If a high place should be observed,
the next outside course should be laid farther out,
and inside course at this point drawn well in. (See
figure 3)

FIGURE THREE.

—3—

Glance frequently over the stack and see if the
outside presents the appearance of an ellipse, and
keep a sharp lookout for high and low spots, for
they will throw the stack out of balance. If the
middle is too full, the outside will slip out, and an
undesirable job of propping will begin. Put in
two-thirds of what is intended for the stack before
eommencing to draw in.

FIGURE FOUR.

Drive so as to leave a little space between load
and stack. Don’t let a stack stand over night at
this stage if it can be avoided, (See figure 4) but
put ox the next two loads as quickly as possible, for
the outside of the stack will settle rapidly.

:. —H— ~»

- FILLING THE MIDDLE.

Lay a tier of bundles through the central part
half the length of the stack, alternating heads and
buts, then lay a course around: with the heads lap-
ping across the middle tier; now another tier
through the center, and two courses around it;
then another tier at center and courses around,
until the center is three or four feet |

FIGURE FIVE.

ty Za o ‘C Be = Sees

—10—

higher than the outside, depending on size of
the stack, and the last course laid laps half way
from head to band on the outside course of the
stack. It will be seen that while building the
main part of the stack, the courses were laid from
outside to center, and while filling the middle or
putting in the stuffing, the courses are laid from
center towards outside. Now commence outside,
lay a course, heads out, half way from band to
but on outside course; in small stacks omit
last instruction; then turn buts out, lap half
and lay to center; then lay a course around out-
side, neither laying out or drawing in.

Now comes a point that should not be overlooked:
Lay acourse, buts out, lapping half way from
heads to band on outside course;

FIGURE SIX.

then lap half and lay to center.

—— Se
> The réason for laying the buts of second course
half way from heads to band is to give the buts of
the next outside course above a chance to rest firm-
ly on the course below, leaving no unoccupied
_ space; if the buts of second course were laid out
to the band of outside course, then the next out-
side course above, being drawn in, would rest one-
third of the way from band to but, on the buts of
the course below, leaving a space for rain to drive
in and wet the stack. Draw in outside course rap-
idly (See figure 6); lay buts of second course half
‘way from head to band on outside course as long
as stack top is large enough; keep middle well
piled up.

A stack can be drawn in very rapidly, without
danger of taking in water from a protracted rain,
even if the outside of the stack grows green, no
sheaf will be found wet above the band, and the
middle of stack dry, for the buts of outside course
will form a thatch roof to protect the stack.

The placing of a few top bundles is a matter of
small importance. If a stack has been properly
built it will receive but little injury if top bundles
should blow off. A strand or two of wire, with
sticks or stones at the ends to weight them down,
will usually hold the top in place.

CRECAPITULATION.©O
The first load being built straight up and flat on

—j| wo

top forms a firm and secure base on which to build
the upper structure.

LAYING OUT OR PUTTING IN THE BULGE.—This is
the most important part of the stack, for it con-
tains the greater part of the grain; by laying out
and keeping the stack flat, the work can be done
rapidly, and when the stack settles the buts will

hang down, for there is nothing to hold them up.
FIGURE SEVEN.

ane, ¢. eae
Filling the middle corresponds to putting rafters
on a building to support the roof.

SUGGESTIONS.

I have found in the course of a long experience,
that a foundation eleven or twelve feet wide and
o, and a stack built in

=?

eighteen or twenty feet lon
the form of an ellipse, and so as to contain ten or

twelve large loads, to be the most convenient and

economical. Grain can be put into a stack of this
size much more rapidly than in small stacks. Ifa
stack is built much larger it will require more la-

bor to pass the bundles across the stack, and will
have to be carried much higher before it is topped

out, which takes time and hard work.

The elliptical form I have found the best;
with a load driven to the side of the stack,
the pitcher is never very far from the stacker; the
stack is easily kept balanced, and at threshing
time the grain is readily got to the machine. In
a round stack of the same size, the stacker gets’
farther away from the pitcher, and it requires more
skill to keep a round stack properly balanced; but
if a round stack, after it is finished and settled,
looks like an egg standing erect on the large end,

—— sr
that is good enough; it will not take water, and
looks well, too. A square stack, or one with cor- |
ners, is easily kept balanced, but in turning the
corners there is too much fullness at the heads of
the bundles, and when the stack settles there will
usually be a sag on each side to catch water.

Two stakes, one eight and the other ten rods —
away, and in line with the center of foundation,
will sometimes assist the stacker in keeping his
stack well balanced, for at a glance he can tell
whether the center is in line with the stakes. A
man may build, as his fancy dictates, either round,
elliptical or square, but in al/, the same general
principles must be observed—the lower part of the
stack built straight up; putin a bulge which set-
tles down around and nearly conceals the lower
part, leaving the center of the bulge high; filling
the middle to support the center of the top. These
are the principles on which good stacking depends.
Ifa man gets them well fixed in his mind and dis-
cards the idea that he must keep the middle full
from the ground up, he will have but little damaged
grain, even in the very worst of seasons. Very

small stacks should be built like ordinary stack
tops. - |

A boy to hand bundles is usually more damage
than good until a stack is half built, and then he
should not be allowed to stand on outside course.
If practical, drive alternate loads on opposite sides
of the stack; this is very desirable, but if, from
the nature of surroundings, it is necessary to drive
all on one side, draw the top of the stack over a
foot or two towards the side where the unloading
is done, and keep ita little the lowest; the opposite
side will settle considerably the most, which will
leave the stack straight up.

FANCY STACKING.

For a pyramid stack, build as usual up to within
two or three rounds of where drawing in commen-
ces, then draw in a little at center of sides and
ends to bring the curves to straight lines; keep
the ccrners well out, observing the form of a rect-
angle in filling the middle, and finish to top.

For a gothic stack, build an ordinary one until
commeacing to draw in, then draw in the oval cor-
ners and build center of sides and ends straight up.
For an X stack draw in ides and ends;
build corners straight up. These stacks look very
ornamental on a premium farm and will save well,

—-16--—
but take more time to build than ordinary stack
tops.
SAMPLE STACK,

With some, the idea seems to prevail, that the
middle of the stack should be kept full from the
ground up. With the center high enough to pro-
tect the stack after it is settled, it is impossible to
lay out or even build straight up, for the outside
sheaves are constantly slipping out, and the pro-
cess of building rendered slow and tiresome, and
when the stack is completed and settled, it will
usually be found that the center has gone down so
much and the outside so little, that the buts of —
the sheaves stick up and form excellent conductors
to wet the stack.

Usually at harvest the country is full of good
stackers, and if, between that time and threshing,
there is little or no rain, they live through and
there is a good supply next year; but if, between
stacking and threshing, a protracted rain occurs,
vast multitudes are drowned, so that, at threshing
time, but few good stackers are found alive.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

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