20 
BULLETIN 338, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The cost of repairs for the bean harvester averages $0.06 per acre, 
$0,449 per day used, and $13.03 for its entire life on the farm, or about 
60 per cent of its first cost. 
THE GRAIN BINDER. 
Although a grain binder is a large and complicated machine, with 
many revolving and reciprocating parts, it lasts an average of over 15 
years in western New York in cutting 542 acres, but does only 53 days 
of actual work (Table XVIII) . As in the case of other implements, 
the smaller binders last longer in years but do less work in days and 
acres than the larger machines. 
Table XVIII. — Grain binders — relation of work done annually to service and cost per 
acre and per day used on 1,028 farms. 
Range of area covered annually acres. . 
Number of records included 
Average areas covered annually acres . . 
Years of service rendered 
Acres covered during life 
Days actually used during life 
Average width of binder feet. . 
Cost when new 
Total cost of repairs during life 
Total interest during life at 6 per cent 
Total of depreciation, interest, and repairs dur- 
ing life 
Cost of grain binder: 
Per day used 
Per acre cut 
1 to 20. 
21 to 40. 
41 to 60. 
61 and 
over. 
Average. 
274 
15.5 
17.8 
275.9 
27 
5.6 
§125.00 
24.92 
70.49 
220. 41 
58.15 
.80 
494 
32.5 
14.4 
468.0 
45 
6.0 
191 
52.8 
14.2 
749.8 
92 
6.1 
69 
85.0 
35.2 
13.6 
15.4 
1, 156. 
542.1 
103 
53 
7.1 
6.0 
$125. 00 
26.50 
57.74 
S130. 00 
39.05 
59.21 
$135. 00 
54.67 
59.16 
209. 24 
S4.47 
.447 
228.26 
248. 83 
5.17 
.304 
2.42 
.215 
5125. 00 
31.20 
61.60 
218. 02 
S4.ll 
.402 
For grain binders the depreciation and interest charges average 
$0,231 and $0,113 per acre, respectively. A binder that cuts 16 
acres annually costs about 3| times as much per acre as one that cuts 
70 acres a year. As the acreage cut increases the interest charge 
becomes a smaller proportion of the total overhead charge, as is the 
case with the other implements. 
It costs nearly 60 cents a day of use to keep a grain binder in 
repair, or $0,058 per acre cut. Before a binder is worn out 25 per 
cent of its first cost, on the average, must be spent to .keep it in 
running order. 
THE CORN BINDER. 
From Table XIX it appears that the corn binder is not in such 
common use as are the grain binder, mower, and other standard 
machines in this section. The average corn binder does only 40 
days of actual work, and there is no doubt but that it could render 
several times this much service before wearing out. 
