8o THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 



tank, thresher, cook shack, and dining tent. The 

 men usually sleep in straw stacks or barn lofts. 



Wages paid to the men are fairly good, ranging 

 from one to four dollars per day and board. The 

 field men usually receive $1.50 to $3.00 per day, 

 the water boy receives less, and the engineer 

 and thresher manager are generally paid larger 

 amounts. Wages vary in different parts of the 

 country and in different seasons, but in view of 

 the fact that board and lodging are provided in 

 addition, are always fairly good. 



Where the farmer furnishes the field crew, 

 exchange of help is the custom, neighbors assist- 

 ing each other in turn. There first arrivals take 

 the more preferable duties, and late comers 

 draw the more disagreeable ones. Before the 

 use of wind stackers the work in the straw pile was 

 invariably the fate of the sleepy one, the dust and 

 chaff making it a place to be avoided whenever 

 possible. 



When the noon whistle sounds the men all 

 hurry to the farmer's home for dinner. They 

 are dirty, sweaty, and grimy, and so the wash in 

 the basins of cold water provided outside is re- 

 freshing although it is not always carefully done. 

 A dinner of roast beef, fried chicken, salmon balls, 

 potatoes and gravy, navy beans, green peas, 

 beet pickles, bread and butter, honey, plum pre- 

 serves, grape jelly, peach sauce, custard pie, cake, 



