vol 
Legune and Grass Saeds 
Losses of legume and grass seeds inecinds shattering of ripe 
seed before it is fully mature and mechanical damage due to 
rouzh handling by the combine cylinder, concaves, beaters, and 
fan, which results in low germination. Much of the lighter seed 
is blown over if the cleaner fan is not properly adjusted. Means 
of saving a larger part of the crep are (1) to harvest early be- 
fore the seed begins to shatter and then to dry the seed mechani- 
cally, and (2) to adjust the machines to handle the seed gently and thus 
avoid mechanical injury and blower loss. Vacuum machines are of ten 
used to pick up shattered seed from the ground after combining. 
Such machtnes are usually custom-operated. The means of avoiding 
these losses is not yet well understood. 
Potatoes 
Losses of potatoes include those left in the field by the digger, 
some of them because they were severely cut and damaged, There is 
some loss due to freezing of potatoes temporarily piled in the 
field pending transportation to the storage house. Harvesting 
losses can be reduced by using large, improved diggers designed to 
avoid damaging the potatoes and by setting the machines to dig _ 
deeper to harvest the whole hill and to gather sufficient dirt to 
protect the potatoes as they go over the elevators and sorting belts. 
Sorghun, Grain 
Losses of sorghun are due chiefly to (1) breaking off of heads, 
(2) breaking of stalks, (3) shattering of grain, (lL) incomplete 
threshing, (5) improper adjustment and operation of harvesting 
equipment, and (6) poor growinp conditions. Early harvest will 
prevent most losses due to brsaking of heads and stalks and 
shattering. This practice is feastble by the methods of drying 
grain sorghum now being developed. Machine losses can be minimized 
by proper reel adjustment, correct cylinder speed (20 to 25 percent 
of normal speed for wheat. and oats), proper clearance between con= 
caves, correct number of coneaves, and proper air-blast adjustment, 
Soybeans 
Soybean losses are due to (1) shattering of seeds, (2) breaking 
down of plants, (3) improper adjustment ami operation of harvesting 
machines, and (lh) breaking of seed during threshing. Timely harvest 
and the use of mechanical drying equipment will help elininate 
losses when seed is too dry. Machine lesses can be minimized by 
proper reel adjustment, correct cylinder speed (50 percent of that 
for wheat and oats), correct clearance and number of concaves, and 
proper air-blast adjustment. The use of pickeup fingers on the 
cutter bar will heln to salvage downed plants. 
=9Ris 
