SCIENCE OF THRESHING. 79 



inches, and the grain wasting equally across the 

 entire width, it would then take three days at the 

 same rate for enough kernels to pass to fill a bushel 

 measure. 



In order to waste five bushels in a day of ten hours' 

 run, there would have to be 138 kernels escape every 

 second or 8,240 every minute. It is very deceiving 

 when the quantity of grain comes to be measured by 

 the kernel. While most threshers are willing to do 

 all in their power to save the grain for their cus- 

 tomers, the farmer should remember that absolute 

 perfection is impossible, and that the actual waste is 

 but very small as compared to the amount threshed. 



It is difficult to state what per cent, a machine may 

 waste and still be doing reasonably good work. 

 There have been several tests made to determine this, 

 but the conditions varied so that there are scarcely 

 two reports alike. In ordinary threshing, when the 

 conditions are not unfavorable and the machine is not 

 being over crowded, it should not waste more than 

 one-third of one per cent; this will be only a little over 

 three bushels per thousand. Calling 10 hours one day, 

 and threshing 1,000 bushels, to waste three bushels 

 would necessitate losing all which would lay on 

 the palm of the hand, every 1 5 seconds, not a very 

 long space of time, only a quarter of a minute. This 

 would show very plain and the machine would appear 

 to be wasting very fast. If the kernels are still in the 

 head, unthreshed, the waste may be in much larger 

 proportion; a kernel in every head or two soon 

 counts up. 



