HARVESTING AND STORAGE 



409 



Number of acres cut per day, average 



Number of horses used ..... 



Number of men employed .... 



Lbs. of twine per acre cut, average . 



Life of corn binders, average in years 



Acres of corn cut per binder, average (spread over 8' 



First cost of corn binder, average . 



Cost per acre cut, including price of machine, repairs, 



and interest on the investment, average per acre 

 Cost of driver and team : 



per day ......... 



per acre cut ........ 



Cost of twine per acre ...... 



Cost of shocking after a corn binder, per acre 

 Total cost of harvesting maize with a corn binder, 



per acre ......... 



$1-50, 



6s. 3d. 



" The cost of cutting corn with the corn binder is therefore 

 the same as the cost of cutting corn by hand, and 32 cents per 

 acre higher than the cost of cutting with a sled harvester. 

 This extra cost of cutting with the corn binder over the cost 

 of cutting with the sled harvester may be attributed to the cost 

 of the twine and the interest on the investment in the higher 

 first cost of the machine. 



" One disadvantage in the use of the corn binder is that it 

 knocks off more or less ears of corn, which either have to be 

 picked up by hand, at a cost of about 10 cents (5d.) per acre, 

 or left to waste or to be found by the cattle after the field is 

 cleared." 



442. The Maize Stubble Cutter. — When the maize is cut 

 high with a corn binder, the farmer may have difficulty in 

 getting rid of his stubble. In order to obtain a clear field and 

 to have the corn stalks cut close to the ground, an attachment 

 to the corn binder has been invented. This is a knife, attached 

 to the under side of the machine ; it floats on the ground, 

 cutting the stalks even with the surface. The cutter has a 

 drawing, slanting cut against spring resistance, which makes 

 a clean cut. When this attachment is used, the binder is 

 usually set to cut higher. The stubble may be ploughed in, 

 and if cut when sappy, will decay quickly and form humus in 

 the soil. By cutting the stubble in this way the ground may 

 be more thoroughly prepared for the next crop, and the 

 stubble and roots buried more deeply, with consequent de- 

 struction of the stalk-borer, if present. 



