IMH 75:2 202

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Thursday [sic], May 4th

This was a business day here. Bill Hand came and finished
cutting his corn-stubs leaving the tall stalks for me to cut
sometime with the stalk cutter. Father and I went over to
Fowler's and got the stalk-cutter. I cut till about ten o'clock on
the stalks south of Hand's wheat; and the crooked field. Mean­
while John Fowler and ally Hinson came and went to work
picking the chunks off John's wheat. They got that done about
ten o'clock and John then ran the stalk-cutter till night. I
began plowing a land which included the "crooked patch." Mr.
J.J. Hinson was here most of the forenoon counseling, and
advising John, and picking himself out a barrel of seed corn at
our crib. 'I'he clouds thickened up and it rained in small show­
ers till about four o clock and it was after that time when I got
to plowing again. Father did not get started on his tour till ten
o'clock and after. Alvin was occupied the greater part of the
time at his scratching job. Aleck and a small Benge whose
cognomination is unknown to me came in the evening; Aleck
after his usual portion of milk.

Teaching note: The stalk cutter's name is pretty descriptive. The need is not so obvious.
Without the stalks being cut on, plowing would be very difficult. It again was a tool that
was borrowed by several farmers among each other