198 



THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 



reapers both in the United States and in Europe. 

 Although they are seldom used now in harvesting 

 the grain in the United States, the American 

 reapers are still the best on the market. Reapers, 

 when the grain is cut, leave it about the field in 

 loose bunches. This grain must then be bound 



FIG. 86. Modern harvesting methods. So: 



into sheaves by hand. In the United States, 

 labor was scarce and large land areas favored ex- 

 tensive cultivation. Because of this condition, the 

 demand for a binding attachment in connection 

 with the reaping machines became urgent and 

 served to stimulate invention. These inventions 



