PREFACE. 



SALMON 



In the oldest tombs of Egypt wheat is found, and on the chiseled 

 stones that frown over the passages slaves are represented, busy in the 

 fields with reaping-hooks. We do not know how many generations 



passed while man still pulled off the 

 heads of the uncultivated cereal, in 

 the manner that the lower tribes of 

 Indians of western America now 

 gather the grass-seeds that constitute 

 a large portion of their food, nor how 

 many generations ago man began to 

 cultivate it with care. 

 Raking over the ashes of the past, the archsologist finds flint imple- 

 ments that were the prototype of the reaping-hook used by our grand- 

 fathers. From the ruins of Egypt are brought hooks of bronze; from 

 the sediment among the wave-washed piles that mark the forgotten 

 homes of the ancient dwellers on 

 Lake Neuchatel cereals have been 

 found, and reaping-hooks of bronze; 

 and from the bogs of Scandinavian 

 countries the castaway sickles are 

 taken. Many generations came and 

 went, so slow was the progress of 

 development, while the reaping-hook 

 was the only tool resorted to. 



The first great improvement in 

 hand methods was the scythe, which 

 was the nearest approach to a machine 



at the beginning of this century. Then came, in America only, what 



was known as the cradle, by which a swath was cut and neatly laid to the 



sun for drying preparatory to being bound. Still, these were mere tools. 



The agricultural world sought relief from the excessive labors in 



the .burning sun, and the inventive 

 talent of this epoch-making nine- 

 teenth century turned in part in the 

 direction of harvesting by mechanical 

 means. 



We read that in the year A. D. i 

 the Gauls made use of an instru- 

 ment, little more than a tool, for 

 We also read that a machine was 

 attempted in Hungary in the eighteenth century. It is safe, however, 

 to consider the year A. D. 1806 as the beginning of practical efforts in 

 the direction of harvesting by wholly mechanical means. 



Nothing becomes apparent to those versed in the progress of an art 



gathering the heads of grain. 



