THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 363 



A STRAW-BAND MAKER. 



Many farmers experience great inconvenience for 

 want of long straw for making bands to bind bundles 

 of straw when thrashing grain, as well as for binding 

 stalks of Indian corn. Making straw bands by twist- 

 ing them out of short straw by hand is a slow and 

 tedious process. But by employing a twister, as shown 

 by the accompanying illustration, straw bands can be 



FIG. 58. Band Maker. 



made with satisfactory rapidity. With such an instru- 

 ment, a man and small boy can make a large number 

 of bands in a day, when they have no other employ- 

 ment ; and thus have them ready for use at any future 

 period. 



The manner of making bands with this hook and 

 crank is as follows : Secure a handful of straw or hay 

 to the hook, while one person holds it with one hand, 



