WHEAT IN THE UNITED STATES 249 



extensively in the drier portions of the west. The 

 bound grain is shocked, and much of it stacked 

 before threshing. The headed grain is, of course, 

 handled loose and most of it is also stacked as soon 

 as cut. Occasionally, the wheat is dry enough to 

 be threshed at once. The harvesting machines are 



CourUt,y r'uri iiayc^ ura.ii.cn, Kansas Agricultural College. 

 FIG. 107. Harvesting with a header on the plains of Kansas. 



of large size ; the binders of 7 or 8 foot cut and the 

 headers of 12 to 20 foot cut. 



The labor problem at harvest time in this region 

 is often a serious one. The acreage is so great 

 in proportion to population that importation of 

 labor is necessary. A sufficient number of men 

 is often even then difficult to obtain. This is the 

 most southerly of our great wheat regions and its 

 harvest is the earliest, so here is the first assem- 

 blage each year of what is often called the " har- 

 vest population." Wages are good. The ordinary 

 prices vary from two to four dollars a day with 

 board and lodging in addition. A working army, 

 made up of men recruited from farms, cities, and 



