250 THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 



colleges, is here first set in motion and begins its 

 northward march which terminates in Canada in 

 September. Of course most of the men do not 

 follow it from beginning to end. Many do, how- 

 ever, and on the whole a harvest situation is here 

 presented that can be duplicated in no other 

 country. At the end of the season the men scatter, 

 but the next summer sees the same progress of 

 events. Although the new harvest population in 

 the region will present many new faces, the gen- 

 eral effect is the same as that of the preceding 

 year. 



Threshing the Grain. - - Steam threshing outfits 

 are used throughout the region. Generally they 

 are of large size, and have a daily capacity of 

 from 1500 to 3000 bushels. Threshing begins in 

 July and is usually completed before October, 

 although since both shock and stack threshing are 

 practiced, the season may be further prolonged. 



The Wheat Supply and Demand in This Region. - 

 The importance of wheat production in this region 

 is shown by the fact that it furnishes more than 

 one fifth of the wheat crop of the United States. 

 In 1913 it produced 23.3 per cent of the total crop. 

 Because of somewhat deficient rainfall and the 

 lack of intensive farming methods, the average 

 yield per acre is low. It is usually from 10 to 15 

 bushels, although some sections produce more. 

 This is particularly true of the irrigated fields of 



