1 909-] 



Expenses of Corn Harvesting. 



73* 



sheaves as they do with those weighing only 10 lb. If this is 

 so it follows that over three tons is lost in a day of 10 hours, 

 taking 120 sheaves as the average number forming a cart- 

 load, and three loads an hour. 



With barley, the difficulty of loading, unloading, and 

 building in the stack owing to the tangled nature of the sheaf, 

 makes the loss of time even greater than it is in the case of 

 wheat. Unfortunately, I was unable to get enough data to 

 suggest what is an ideal weight of sheaf, but it is well worth 

 the attention of both farmer and implement maker. 



Cutting and Binding. — The method of obtaining informa- 

 tion as regards this operation was as follows : — The machine 

 was followed for a certain time, never for less than half and 

 for sometimes over an hour; the sheaves were counted as 

 they fell when following the machine. Subsequently the 

 distance travelled was ascertained by carefully measuring the 

 distance apart of sheaves. The width of track was then 

 measured. By thus ascertaining the distance the machine 

 had travelled and the width of track, it was possible to calcu- 

 late what acreage had been cut in a given time. The follow- 

 ing table gives the detailed account of operations reduced to 

 acres and hours' work. 



Table III. 



1 No. of 

 Horses. 



Crop and its 

 Condition. 



Width of 

 Track. 



Rate of 

 Travelling 

 per Hour.* 



Weight 

 of Green 

 Sheaf. 



Acreage 

 Cut per 

 Hour. 



3 



Chevalier Barley. 

 Heavy, slightly moist, 

 and very dirty. 



Feet. 

 5 '33 cut 

 Nominal 6' 



Miles. 



Lb. 

 9'35 



i '4 



3 



Heavy crop of badly 

 laid Barley. . 



5 '34 cut 

 Nominal 6' 



2*1 



9-o 



i'36 



3 



Heavy crop Rivett 

 Wheat, dirty with 

 vine-weed. 



4-6 



i-8f 



n'5 



i *o 



3 



Light Oats, very dirty 



5 '5 



2'I 



i3'5 



i'4 



3 



? t 



5 '25 



I '67 



? 



i *o 



* Including stoppages in all cases, and on one occasion including delay to 

 change a broken knife. 



t Horses had already worked io hours. 



+ Crop not recorded, taken for pace, as horses seemed tired. 



3 A 2 



