47^ MAIZE 



CHAP. 449. Cost and Efficiency of Maize Pickers. — The United 



States Department of Agriculture gives the following figures 

 concerning cost and efficiency of American maize pickers : — 



Number of acres harvested per day, about ...... 773 



Life of maize pickers, average in years ...... 8T.7 



Acres of maize harvested, per picker (average over 8*17 years) . . 668'77 

 First cost of maize picker, average ....... $250'oo 



Cost per acre harvested, including price of machine, 



repairs, and interest on the investment, average 



per acre ........ 58 cents, i.e. 2s. 5d. 



Cost of driver and team : 



per day $3'55 >, -4s. gjd. 



per acre harvested ...... 46 cents ,, is. nd. 



Cost per acre of two wagons with teams to remove ears 



from the machine and deliver them into the crib, at 



$3 per day for each ...... 77 cents ,, 3s. 2jd. 



Total cost of harvesting maize with a maize picker, 



per acre . . . . . . . . $i'8l „ 7s. 6Jd. 



Weight of maize picked per day, bushels ...... 341 



Number of men required to do the same work by hand . . . 3*8 



Cost of labour for same ......... Sii'93 



Cost of extra teams for same ........ §3'oo 



Total cost for picking the same number of acres by hand, as can be 



picked with a maize picker per day ...... Si4"93 



Cost per acre by hand .......... $i'93 



Cost per acre by maize picker ........ $i*8i 



"While the saving effected with the corn picker is not 

 large, the use of a machine makes the fanner more independent 

 of the labour market, as the work may be done without hiring 

 extra men at a time ivhen tliey are hard to secure. 



" But the advantage of hand over machine picking in the 

 removal of the husks should not be overlooked." Moreover, 

 " the corn picker is still an experimental machine, and not until 

 it has been perfected should the farmer purchase it ". At the 

 same time it will be well to watch the development of the 

 maize picker, as it may become of great importance to the 

 South African farmer. 



450. Hand-husking in America. — The method of hand- 

 husking practised in America is described as follows : — 



For convenience in husking a movable table is sometimes 

 used, on which the stalks are laid while being husked. The 

 ears are thrown in piles on the ground near the shocks, and 

 afterwards hauled to the crib. The stover is sometimes 

 hauled to the barn and stored, but often it is left standing 

 in shocks in the field till needed for feeding during the winter. 



