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, 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 drawing in, if
the stack is to contain ten or twelve loads; if eight
or nine, lay the last course out a little.
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 alternate
loads on opposite sides of the stack: this will
help to keep the stack properly balanced. If the
eye detects 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, 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. 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. 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 commencing to draw
in. Don't let a stack stand over night at this stage
if it can be avoided, but put on the next two loads
as quickly as possible, for the outside of the stack
will settle rapidly.
FILLING THE MIDDLE.
Lay a tier of bundles through the center half the
length of the stack, alternating heads and buts,
then lay a course around with the heads lapping
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 higher than the outside of the
stack, and the last course layed 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, then turn buts out, lap half and
lay to center; then lay a course around outside,
neither laying out or drawing in.
Now comes a point that should not be overlooked:
Lay a course, buts out, lapping half way from
heads to band on outside course; then lap half and
lay to center.
The reason 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 firmly
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 outside
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 rapidly;
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.
RECAPITULATION.
The first load being built straight up and flat on
top forms a firm and secure base on which to build
the upper structure.
Laying out or putting in the bulge is the most
important part of the stack, for it contains 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.
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
eighteen or twenty feet long, and a stack built in
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. If a
stack is built much larger it will require more labor
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,
that is good enough; it will not take water, and
looks well, too. A square stack, or one with corners,
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 all, the same general
principles must be observed—the lower part of the
stack built straight up; put in a bulge which settles
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.
If a man gets them well fixed in his mind and discards
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.
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; 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 commences,
then draw in a little at center of sides and
ends to bring the curves to straight lines; keep
the corners well out, observing the form of a rectangle
in filling the middle, and finish to top.
For a gothic stack, build an ordinary one until
commencing to draw in, then draw in the oval corners
and build center of sides and ends straight up.
For an X stack draw in sides and ends;
build center straight up. These stacks look very
ornamental on a premium farm and will save well,
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 protect
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 process
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 butts 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.
