Historic Treasure of the Week - September 5, 1982
By Dorothy W. Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
Historic Treasure of the Week - September 5, 1982
By Dorothy W. Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
The items in the treasure featured this week at the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 South Sixth Street, were used to harvest corn. Pictured are a drying rack, shucking device and husking glove.
The 1920 edition of John Baer's "Agricultural Almanac," offered this advice: "September is seed corn month. Seed corn selected from the field, if properly dried and stored, is better than that selected from the crib or from the wagon box at husking time. The person who gathers the seed should make his selection from stalks which yield the most grain and at the same time mature early. Gather the seed before husking time."
The use of the metal corn drying rack was one way to preserve the seed corn for next year's planting.
The steel corn shucker, sometimes called a corn pick, was used to rip the husk from the corn as the farmer removed the ear from the stalk. The tool, held in the palm of the hand, was secured by the leather loop.
A husking glove could be worn on the other hand to protect the skin and aid in husking. Small pieces of metal were attached to the palm-side of the glove. The Hall Husking Glove Co. Of Chicago advertised their patent husking glove as follows: "Very greatly improved in forms of the claws and the more complete shielding of the parts subject to wear, making them wear five times as long ... made of the very best calf leather in four sizes; right and left handed."
These items, originally owned by Henry D. Christy and William J. Cullen, will be on display in the basement hall at the museum. Regular open hours are 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday through Friday.
The museum will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.