FARM MACHINERY AND IMPLEMENTS 727 



the ledger plates. Damaged plates or badly worn and broken knives 

 should be promptly replaced by new ones. 



The Pittman bearings are the ones most likely to become loose. This 

 will give rise to pounding, which will wear the bearings rapidly. The 

 bearings of the Pittman at both the sickle head end and the Pittman crank 

 end should, therefore, be of easy adjustment. 



Self -Rake Reaper. — This machine soon followed the improvement 

 and development of the modern mower. It was extensively used for a 

 short period, but was soon displaced by the self-binder. The self-rake 

 reaper is still a desirable machine for harvesting such crops as flax, buck- 

 wheat and clover for seed. These crops, when harvested, cling together 



A Mowing Machine with Pea Vine Attachment. 1 



and there is little advantage in having them bound into bundles. This 

 machine, therefore, does the work of harvesting these crops at less initial 

 cost of machine and a further saving in twine. Since the mowing machine 

 and the modern self-binder are both required on most farms, the self- 

 rake reaper is now generally dispensed with, unless the acreage of the 

 above-mentioned crops is large. 



Self-Binder. — This machine has been developed since 1875, and is 

 now almost universally used in harvesting small grains. There are a 

 number of different makes, but the most satisfactory ones are built prin- 

 cipally of steel, combining strength with lightness of weight and durability. 

 The essential parts consist of the cutting device, the elevators and the 



1 Courtesy of F. Blocki Manufacturing Company, Sheboygan, Wis. 



