SWEET CLOVER: HARVESTING AND THRASHING SEED CROP. 



15 



woody, unpalatable portions of the plants on the ground, where they 

 will decay quickly and help to increase the humus content of the 

 soil. (See the illustration on the title-page.) 



When the seed crop is cut with a binder it is best to shock the 

 bundles as soon as possible, so as to avoid unnecessary shattering. 

 Conditions should determine whether the bundles be placed in long 

 narrow shocks or in round shocks. The plants will cure somewhat 

 faster in long narrow shocks, and this form should be preferred when 

 grasshoppers are not troublesome. Sweet-clover shocks should not 

 be capped, as capping will cause some seed pods to shatter. 



THE GRAIN HEADER. 



Gram headers have been used successfully for harvesting the sweet- 

 clover seed crop in several sections of the United States, especially hi 

 western Kansas. The principal advantages in using this machine 

 are that a larger acreage may be cut in a given tune than with either 

 a grain binder or a self-rake reaper and that a high stubble may be 

 left. The greater acreage which may be cut with a header is impor- 

 tant when large acreages are to be harvested, as much seed is lost by 

 shattering if the crop is not cut at the proper stage for harvesting, 

 while the high stubble which may be left when cutting the seed crop 

 with a grain header is a decided advantage, as it not only reduces 

 greatly the weight and bulk of the plants which must be thrashed, 

 but it also leaves the hard, woody portions on the ground, where 



FIG. 10. A grain binder equipped with pans and extensions to the rear elevator plate and binder deck to 

 save the sweet-clover seed which is shattered while cutting the crop. 



