COST OP HARVESTING WHEAT. 13 



could, however, do considerably more. It would seem, therefore, that 



the work done by a horse in one day is not much more than three 



times the amount performed by a man, although the working" power 



of a horse usually is considered to be ten times greater than that 



of a man (Kent). This is accounted for probably by the fact that 



the horse's strength is less directly applied to the work than is that 



of the man, there being greater losses through friction and a much 



greater amount of weight to be moved. From the figures shown in 



Tables I to VII, inclusive, it will be seen that the cost of cutting, 



shocking, and stacking wheat ranges from about 11 to 15 cents per 



bushel. 



STACKING. 



The acreage covered per day by a given crew in stacking wheat 

 depends upon the yield, distance hauled^ size of loads, and method 

 used. For example, two men and four horses, with either one or two 

 of the bundle wagons which are commonly found in the wheat-grow- 

 ing sections of the Northwest, where both men pitch and no one is 

 required on the load, will be able to stack more wheat, other things 

 being equal, than will two men following the usual practice in the 

 East of one pitching while the other man loads. The wagons used 

 in the two cases are usually very different, the western "bundle 

 wagon " being especially built for use in the manner above mentioned, 

 whereas with the type of wagon usually found in the East it would 

 be impossible to haul a very large load in this way, because of the 

 difficulty of putting many bundles on such a wagon in such a way 

 that they would carry well. Although the loads hauled on the west- 

 ern bundle wagons do not contain quite so many bundles as do those 

 in the East when loaded by hand, they are put on in less time and 

 with one-half the man-labor, which more than offsets this objection. 

 If two bundle wagons are available each man can pitch on a load and 

 take it to the stack, where one will pitch off while the other stacks. 

 This combination is probably the most efficient crew which can be 

 used in stacking wheat, provided the haul is not too long. It is espe- 

 cially recommended for consideration by eastern wheat growers^ as 

 in many cases it would be an easy matter to place a temporary rack 

 on their wagons, thus making them well suited for use in the manner 

 described. The adoption of this method would materially reduce the 

 cost of stacking. 



Six acres per day for two men and one team appears to be a fair 

 day's work in stacking wheat under most eastern conditions, whereas 

 in the western sections where the more efficient methods are em- 

 ployed 8 acres per day for two men and two horses and 10 acres per 

 day for two men and four horses would appear to be a fair average. 

 Based on these figures the cost of stacking per acre for man- and 

 horse-labor would be as shown in Table VII. No allowance has 



