158 FARM MACHINERY 



was the first successful machine. It consists of a sled plat- 

 form or a platform mounted upon small wheels, which car- 

 ries knives at an angle to cut the corn as it is grasped by the 

 operator, who rides on the platform. The machine is made 

 for one horse, with the knives sloping back from the center, 

 or for two horses, with the knives sloping from the outside 

 to the center. This machine is cheap and has a much larger 

 capacity than hand cutting. Heavy corn cannot well be 

 handled, however, with a sled harvester. 



221. Types of harvesters. Corn harvesters may be 

 divided into three classes, depending upon the position of 

 the bundle while being bound. This may be either in a 

 vertical, inclined, or a horizontal position (Figs. 117 and 

 118). 



The vertical harvester seems to be the most popu- 

 lar, although the other types do very satisfactory 

 work. Owing to the difference in the height of corn in 

 various parts of the country, some makers provide two 

 styles of harvesters, one for short corn and the other 

 for tall. 



The binder of the corn harvester resembles very closely 

 the binder of the grain harvester. At first they were 

 identical, but later it was found best to make the binder 

 for the corn harvester a little heavier. The corn harvester 

 should be provided with roller bearings and other con- 

 veniences of adjustment to be found upon the grain 

 binder. 



222. The stubble-cutter attachment consists of a knife 

 attached to the corn harvester. It cuts the stubble close 

 to the ground and makes further operations in the field 

 more convenient. The attachment does not add much to 

 the draft of the machine, and is surely a very useful 

 device. 



223. The corn shocker was one of the first machines 



