GRAIN GROWING. 



113 



Following it was the "Marsh Harvester," on 

 which two men rode and bound the grain as it was 

 elevated. To-day we have the wide-cut self-binder 

 complete (///. j8), a machine that will bind and cut 

 the heaviest crop of grain and do the work in the 

 most perfect manner. 



In setting up grain to dry, the long ''shock" 

 or "stook" is preferable (///. 5p). The sheaves 

 are set up firmly in pairs, ten or twelve in a shock. 

 The shock should stand with ends facing north and 

 south, so that both sides will be exposed evenly to 

 the sun. Wheat should stand a week in the field 

 after being cut, so that it may dry out thoroughly 

 and the grain become hard. 



As previously shown, great progress has been 

 made towards perfecting har\'esting machinery. An 

 equal advance has been made in threshing machines. 

 In the early days of this country all the grain was 

 threshed with the flail or trodden out by oxen or 

 horses on a floor. 



In the \\Titer's younger days he has threshed 

 all winter with the flail, from the time the land 

 froze up in the fall until seed time in the spring. 

 The first implement in the shape of a threshing 

 machine was simply a cylinder set in a frame with 

 beaters instead of spikes, and the grain had to be 

 separated from the chaff" with a simple hand fanner. 



Later there was a succession of improvements, 

 until now we have the self-feeding thresher and 

 separator that will thresh and clean the grain ready 

 for market, and do the work as fast as two men can 

 fork the sheaves into it. See III. 60. 



Marsh- 

 Harvester 

 Principle of 

 Elevating Used 

 To-day. 



How to 

 "Shock' 

 Grain. 



Improvements 

 to Threshing 

 Machines. 



Writer's Early 

 Experience in 

 Threshing. 



The Modern 

 Thresher. 



