WHEAT 



99 



per acre. The wheat field may be harrowed to stir 

 the ground before the plants have grown high enough 

 to be injured ; but usually no cultivation is given to 

 the wheat. When grown by irrigation, wheat is 

 generally flooded with water from one to five times 

 during the growing season. 



Harvesting. Wheat is harvested with a self- 

 binder or harvester which cuts the wheat and binds it 

 into bundles or sheaves. Several bundles are placed 

 together in shocks or stocks. When dry, the sheaves 

 are hauled to the threshing machine, or placed in stacks 

 and threshed a few weeks later. Sometimes wheat 

 is cut with heading machines or strippers, from which 

 the wheat heads go direct to the thresher. 



REAPER AND THRESHER 



Threshing. - - The threshing machine separates the 

 grain from the chaff and straw. Fifty years ago wheat 



