The mystery of husbandry, or, Arable, pasture and wood-land improved Containing the whole art and mystery of agriculture or husbandry, in bettering and improving all degrees of land ... : directions for marling, dunging, mudding, sanding ... : proper times for sowing, chusing good seed, and ploughing ... : how to keep corn and other pulse from being destroyed by birds, vermin, lightening, mildew ... : To which is added The countryman's alamack. / by Lenard Meager.

CHAP. XXXIII.

Proper Directions for Stacking of Corn in the true Method, to keep it from Vermin, Fowl, Taking-Wet, or Musting.

WHere there is not a Conveniency of Housing, there is a necessity of Stacking Corn, and care must be used for the well-ordering of it this way, that it may be preserved with the least loss, also from Wet and Moulding; for a moist Ground, if the Stack be unadvised∣ly placed on it without any other Remedies, will spo l at least a yard of the Bottom; and therefore you must make and raise your Ground on purpose with Gravel, Sand and Pebles, or other Stones not subject to breaking, propor∣tionable for a Stack, either round or a square, or triangu∣lar, distant from Eves-dropping, or the Driping of Trees; and so that the violent Winds cannot blow the Rain, or Melting-Snow off from them (though they stand at some distance) upon the Stick; yet so that it may stand safe sheltered from high turbulent Wind, that would arise or uncover it; then, upon the Earth so rais'd above the level of Water, occasioning Overflowings by sudden Showers, make four pieces of Stone or Timber like Blocks, broad on the lower-end and narrower on the top, of equal height about two foot and a half, and fix the lower-end a little in the ground, that they may stand steady; then lay on their tops square Boards two inches thick, and three foot square every way, strong and substantial, well-seasoned, and free from warping; then take strong Over-lays of Wood, and lay them from one Board to another

four-square, and on these place other smaller. Poles close in a manner to each other; and upon this Frame stack or mow your Corn, Pease, Beans, &c. as near for con∣veniency to the Thrashing-Flore as may be; make the Stack neatly compacted and upright, which Experience rather than Printed Directions must instruct you in; and you will, if you be a little careful in it, save much Corn, for the broad Boards at the Corners will send off the Mice by their hanging so much over the Stumps or Blocks, and the height, together with the Poles, will prevent the Moisture from injuring it any ways from the Dampness of the Ground.

As for your laying your Corn into Stack, observe to turn the Eary-part of the Sheaves inward, and so the Pigeons, Sparrows, &c. will be disappointed: And of all Proportions of Stacks, I commend the round for the best; and when it is made, after some days setling you must Thatch it well to keep out the Wet; and when you stock your Wheat, let the top be Oats, or other coarse Grain, and so it will lye in greater safety from Wet, the top being ever in most danger to receive Damage: Fence it about with small Poles, that Cattel come not to damage it; and if your Stack be very long, you must have more Pillars to support it, as six or eight.