COST OF HARVESTING WHEAT, 17 
It is obvious that the cost of harvesting an acre of wheat with 
headers of the same size will vary with the number of men and 
horses in the crew, whereas the cost per bushel will depend largely 
upon the yield. The overhead charges per acre—that is, interest, 
depreciation, and repairs—will depend, of course, upon the number 
of acres harvested annually and the life of the machine. ‘The first 
cost of headers is considerably higher in the Pacific Coast States than 
in the Middle West, owing to the difference in freight rates. The 
cost for wagons depends upon the extent to which they are used for 
other work. The header box itself generally is built especially for 
use in heading wheat, and the interest, depreciation, and repairs on 
these boxes should in such cases be charged against the wheat. They 
are inexpensixe, however, since they usually are made on the farm 
from cheap lumber ; $8 per box probably would be a fair average cost. 
The repairs to the boxes are practically negligible, being made from 
odds and ends of lumber which are available. Few header boxes are 
painted, and yet fewer are sheltered; but since in the regions where 
they are used there is comparatively little rain their life is longer 
than might be expected, 10 years probably being a fair average 
figure. The running gears generally are used for other purposes 
during the remainder of the year. It is, therefore, impossible to 
arrive at any reliable figures as to what percentage of the overhead 
charges on a header wagon are properly chargeable against the 
wheat. 
Based on the figures already mentioned for the crews and over- 
head charges, Table VIII has been prepared to show the approximate 
cost of harvesting an acre of wheat with twelve- and fourteen-foot 
headers, with two common sizes of crews for each. 
Taste VIII.—Cost of harvesting an acre of wheat with headers of various sizes 
and different sizes of crews, with man-labor at $2 and horse-labor at $1.20 
per day of 10 hours. 
Daily cost of operating the outfit. Cost per bushel. 
Cost 
: Interest 
Size of header and crew. Man. | Horse. deprecia- cere, | Based on| Based on 
Total. Tahon. Mabon tion, and * |16-bushel| 30-bushel 
: * | repairs on yield. yield. 
headers. 
12-foot, with 5 men and 10 horses !....| $25.40 | $10.00 | $12.00 2$3.40 | $1.06 COO Nesesessena 
12-foot, with 6 men and 14 horses ?....| 32.20} 12.00 | 16.80 23.40 Ds An is raerareee ie $0. 045 
14-foot, with 6 men and 12 horses 4....| 29.75 | 12.000 | 14.40 53.35 1.06 LOT es 
14-foot, with 8 men and 16 horses 6....| 38.55 | 16.00 | 19.20 53.35 Tete ee eae le ed . 946 
1 Crew made up as follows: 1 driver and 6 horses with header; two header wagons with 2 drivers and 4 
horses; 1 man loading wagon and 1 man on stack. 
2 Based on annual duty of 300 acres and 24 acres per day. 
3 Crew made up as follows: 1 driver and 8 horses with header; 3 wagons with 3 drivers and 6 horses; 1 
loader and 1 man on stack. 
4 Crew made up as follows: 1 driver and 6 horses on header; 3 wagons with 3 drivers and 6 horses; 1 loader 
and ilmanonstack. | 
5 Based on annual duty of 450 acres and 28 acres per day. 
6 Crew made up:as:follows: 1 driver.and.8.horses.on header; 4 wagons with 4 drivers and 8 horses; 1 loader 
and 2 men at stack. 
