The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-17
A Wonderful Harvest.
HOW THE WESTERN REAPERs GATHER THE
GRAIN FROM THE BROAD PRAIRJE-FIELDs.

HOW THE WESTERN REAPERs GATHER THE
GRAIN FROM THE BROAD PRATRJE-FIELDs.
ELetter in st. Paul taInn) Pioneer.Prcss.I
"We will go just over here to IT and
see the haryesters at wcrk,'' says Doc. War
ner; but we find that "iust over here''
means at least two miles away, and as we
bowl along over the beautifully-rolling
prairie we learn that there are about twen-
ty-siX hundred acres planted to wheat this
wear, besides large acreage devoted to
barley, oats, and corn. Next year nearly
| five thousand acres OF wheat will be
grown, the land already being pre-
pared for it. The soil is extremely
rich, being heavy black loam for over
two feet in depth, with on unexplored
bed OF clay beneath. 1t possesses the very
best attributes for grain-producins, and
laws in such q perfect manner that it is
drained just enough to keep it in the right
state. This splendid soil, which is uneX-
celled in this State, extends not only
through the whole OF Rock county, but
through the entire northern half of Lyon
county, Iowa. Every section is gold mine,
and every roll Uf the prairie is mound OF
gold.
But we are now on Section II, on which
the haryesters are at work. It is high
roll, and away on every side are seen the
golden mounds. thickly dotted with the
Shocks Of wheat Twelve hundred acres
have already fallen before the greedy sickles
OF the fayorite harvesters, and we are just
in time to see fifteen of these perfect ma
chimes attack another great patch OF grain.
Here is a splendid sight. The intelligence
OF genius seems to have been given to these
wonderful combinations OF cogs and belts,
and the highest grade of intelligence, the
educated brains, are put into the hands of
the lowest grade, the band-Workers. in the
shape OF a machine which seems to lack but
the God-given soul TO be human.
1t is three miles around this field, and one
after the other the fifteen haryesters bring
their keen sickles to bear upon the grain.
When all are in line swath one hundred
feet in width is cut. On they GO. working
smoothly, without jar, the nicely-bound
sheaves falling lightly on the stubble, with
heads erect.
| We followed the procession around, anX-
ious to witness the complete operation: for
this is not by any means perfect field oil
wheat. Here the wind and rain have beaten
down a backward piece, and the stalks lie
broken and tangled. Straight Oh the ma
chine walks, and every spear is bound,
but the bundle is not handsome. Now
comes patch IN when the tralllnS
wild pea-vinc is twisted and twined
around the grain. Up it comes, pea-vine.
wheat, and all, and tangled mass falls of
the harvester, tightly bound. Now we
reach a part Of the field where strong, rank
weeds, encouraged by the rain and sun,
have reared their heads far above the wheat
This, we think, will try the machine sorely.
for the thick, tbrous trunks Of the weeds
are tough and the sup is gummy. But there
is no such thing as failure, and it binds the
worthless weeds as faithfully and easily as
it does the valuable wheat.
Still 'round and round the fifteen giants
walk, doing their work faithfully. although
guided by green men, who find little to dt
except to attend to the horses.