THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



STAFF. 



A. C. Tkue, D. Sc— />(m7o/-. 



E. W. Allen, Ph. D. — Assistant Director and Editor of Expcnmcnt Station Record. 



W. H. Beal, B. a., M. Y^.— Chief of Editorial Division. 



Elwood Mead, D. E. — Chief of Irrigation and Drainage Tnvestujalions. 



LETTER OE TRANSMriTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Office of Experiment Stations, 

 Washington, D. C, September 25, 1906. 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on Corn- 

 harvesting Machinery, by C. J. Zintheo, of this Office. This report 

 briefly sketches the history of corn-harvesting machinery in this 

 country, describing in more or less detail the various implements and 

 machines which have been used and are now in use, and discusses 

 the econom}'^ of using such labor-saving devices. 



On a large part of the corn land of this country the grain only is 

 harvested, leaving the stalks in the field to be consumed by cattle to 

 some extent, but principally to go to waste, and remain in the way 

 of subsequent cultivation. In this way a large part of the food value 

 of the corn plant is lost. The great object of the introduction of 

 corn-harvesting machinery is to prevent this loss. 



The report gives figures as to the value of corn fodder, and the cost 

 of gathering it with the various machines descril)ed. 



Such a report should be of value to the farmers in the corn-growing 

 sections, and its publication as a bulletin of this Office is recom- 

 mended. 



Respectfully, 



A. C. True, Director. 

 Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



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