20 



BULLETIN 338, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



The cost of repairs for the bean harvester averages $0.06 per acre, 

 $0,449 per day used, and $13.03 for its entire life on the farm, or about 

 60 per cent of its first cost. 



THE GRAIN BINDER. 



Although a grain binder is a large and complicated machine, with 

 many revolving and reciprocating parts, it lasts an average of over 15 

 years in western New York in cutting 542 acres, but does only 53 days 

 of actual work (Table XVIII). As in the case of other implements, 

 the smaller binders last longer in years but do less work in days and 

 acres than the larger machines. 



Table XVIII. — Grain binders — relation of work done annually to service and cost per 

 acre and per day used on 1,028 farms. 



Range of area covered annually acres. . 



Number of records included 



Average areas covered annually acres . . 



Years of service rendered 



Acres covered during life 



Days actually used during life 



Average width of binder feet. . 



Cost when new 



Total cost of repairs during life 



Total interest during life at 6 per cent 



Total of depreciation, interest, and repairs dur- 

 ing life 



Cost of grain binder: 



Per day used 



Per acre cut 



1 to 20. 



21 to 40. 



41 to 60. 



61 and 

 over. 



Average. 



274 

 15.5 

 17.8 

 275.9 

 27 

 5.6 



$125. 00 

 24.92 

 70.49 



220.41 



3.15 



494 



32.5 



14.4 



468.0 



45 



6.0 



191 



52.8 



14.2 



749.8 



92 



6.1 



85.0 



13.6 



1, 156. 



103 



7.1 



$125. 00 

 26.50 

 57.74 



$130. 00 

 39.05 

 59.21 



$135. 00 

 54.67 

 59.16 



209. 24 



228.26 



248. 83 



4.47 

 .447 



3.17 

 .304 



$2.42 

 .215 



35.2 



15.4 



542.1 



53 



6.0 



$125. 00 

 31.20 

 61.60 



218. 02 



1.11 

 .402 



For grain binders the depreciation and interest charges average 

 $0,231 and $0,113 per acre, respectively. A binder that cuts 16 

 acres annually costs about 3 J times as much per acre as one that cuts 

 70 acres a year. As the acreage cut increases the interest charge 

 becomes a smaller proportion of the total overhead charge, as is the 

 case with the other implements. 



It costs nearly 60 cents a day of use to keep a grain binder in 

 repair, or $0,058 per acre cut. Before a binder is worn out 25 per 

 cent of its first cost, on the average, must be spent to keep it in 

 running order. 



THE CORN BINDER. 



From Table XIX it appears that the corn binder is not in such 

 common use as are the grain binder, mower, and other standard 

 machines in this section. The average corn binder does only 40 

 days of actual work, and there is no doubt but that it could render 

 several times this much service before wearing out. 



