PROJECTS IN FARM MACHINERY OPERATION 289 



263. Harvesting Grain. (Fig. 310.) 



Requirements : To assist in the various operations of harvest- 

 ing grain, from cutting with a binder and shocker 

 through threshing. To determine the cost as far as 

 possible for each operation, to be able finally to determine 

 cost of producing a bushel of wheat or a bushel of corn. 



Equipment Needed: Binder, teams or tractor, wagon, and 

 threshing outfit. 



Preliminary Instruction: It is just as essential that the 

 farmer know how much it costs to grow a bushel of grain 

 as that the manufacturer know how much it costs to mill 

 100 pounds of flour. The harvest season on the farm is a 

 season when labor is in demand. It is essential that the 

 grain be cut when at the proper stage of ripeness and 

 threshed when properly cured. For these reasons it is 

 important that some study be made of the processes 

 of harvesting grain. 



Working Instruction: 



1) Get binder ready for cutting, with a satisfactory hitch 

 and properly adjusted and lubricated. 



2) Operate binder and note the rate of cutting. 



3) Learn to shock the grain properly so it will not fall down 

 or blow over. 



4) Note the number of men required behind the binder. 



5) Determine the cost of cutting and shocking per acre. 



6) Later, when grain is ready for threshing, load grain on 

 rack and haul to threshing outfit. 



7) Pitch grain from rack onto threshing feed table. 



8) Note each operation that takes place in the threshing 

 machine, from the time the grain bundles are on the feed 

 table until the grain is weighed. 



