13 



Westcliester, $12 per day for machine; in Delaware, one-twelftli of the 

 wheat. A steam thresher is reported in Seneca, nominally six horse- 

 I)Ower, costing $800, requiring 700 pounds of coal per day, and thresh- 

 ing 400 bushels. In New Jersey, the share for threshing varies from 

 one-fourteenth to one-twentieth. Threshers generally furnish two horses 

 and two hands; a few larger machines require more seivice of men and 

 horses. In Pennsylvania a wide variety of contracts exists, the price per 

 bushel ranging, according to the amount of grain and the proportion of 

 teams and men furnished by the thresher, from 4 to 10 cents. 



In Virginia, where a machine and four to six horses and three men are 

 fnrnished, the charge is one-tenth or one-twelfth ; in most of the counties 

 small machines are in use, and not more than two men and two horses 

 supplied, for one-twentieth, oftener one-twenty fifth, and sometimes one 

 bushel in thirty-three. A cash rate per bushel is rarely paid. In the 

 Carolinas and Georgia higher rates obtain, from one-eighth to one-fif- 

 teenth ; in Xorth Carolina, in some cases, one-twentieth, A few steam 

 machines are reported in these States. An average capacity of thresh- 

 ers in this region is about 200 bushels per day. 



In Alabama the toll is one-tenth to one-fourteenth; in Mississippi, one- 

 tenth to one-twelfth ; in Texas, still higher, one-seventh to one-tenth. In 

 Tennessee the charge varies from one-tenth to one-twentieth, according 

 to the amount of power and labor furnished by the thresher. In Ken- 

 tucky the western custom of fixing a rate per bushel prevails, which 

 ranges from 4 to 10 cents. 



In Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and other west- 

 ern States, eight and ten horse-power machines are in common use. In 

 the majority of cases the thresher furnishes four to six horses and three 

 men, the farmer furnishing, on an average, four horses and six to ten men, 

 the larger number of hands being required when the straw is stacked — 

 threshing 300 bushels of wheat, or 500 bushels of oats per day. In a 

 few counties in each of these States steam power is obtaining the ascend- 

 ancy, doing nearly double the amount of work, the price per bushel aver- 

 aging a very little higher than that of threshing by horse power. 



In Missouri the charge for threshing varies from 5 to 10 cents for 

 wheat, (in a majority of cases 7 to 8 cents,) and from 3 to 5 cents for 

 oats. Often the thresher furnishes all the horses, charging the higher 

 prices mentioned. Steam power has been introduced to some extent. 



In Utah a tollis taken for threshing wheat of one-seventh to one-twelfth; 

 and about the same rates prevail in other Territories, though some re- 

 ports from Montana place the cost per bushel at 50 cents, and one in 

 New Mexico gives GO cents. In California the price per bushel ranges 

 from 4 to 10 cents. 



Neither the price per bushel, nor the share of grain given, represents the 

 total cost of threshing and cleaning. The labor of extra men and horses, 

 and the board and forage, cost as much as the compensation of the 

 thresher — making the average cost, instead of 6 to 8 cents, at least 12 

 to 15 cents per busliel. 



