The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1894-01-05
The Small Thresher.
HETI1AND s. D. Jan 3. 1894

Having had some experen' with headed grain,
wish to say few words ia regard to your idea Of
thrashiny it with small thrasher:
1. Large quantities OF headings cannot be packed
together in Sheds would heat and spoil 1t has to
be at acked out in the open air where the air will crcu
late around and through it freely in stacks not larger
than twenty feet and then if it is not per-
fecty ripe dry when cut the center OF the stack will
be damaged.
q Headed grain would take more shed room than
bound grain, the bundles could be left standing in
the field until thoroughly dry and then packed away in
large stacks or mows Two years ago my brother had
stacks of headings from hundred and ten
acres The stacks would average seven by eighteen
Feet requiring shed thrtysix by two hundred and
enteen feet and that does not allow any thing for air
spaces between the stacks
g. l have thrashed about twelve thousand bushels
of headings with a twenty eight inch cylinder and
must say it was very tedious job With that size of
machine had rather thrash three bushels of bundle
grain two of headings What it must be to try to
get loose grain through eighteen inch cylinder
only imagine; but would not advise any to try it
unless he las inexhaustable supply OF patience.
Fraternaly yours,
p. r. CROTHERs.
Now there is letter that is pleasure to get. It
critcses ideas but does it with both experience
and kindness. As to the threshing Mr.. Crothers has
the better of He has had experence-we have not
All the experience we had was 'aailing" on the
barn floor in 1860 wnter-and cutting bands one
season in 1868.
Still, men with experience will differ, and we
will dare to stick to the propositionl Not however,
from obstnacy but because the small home thresher
could be introduced the advantage would be wonder
ful-so enormous!
Our statement is that thresher with IL or 49,
in cylinder Tin lengthy can be constructed to
with two horse power and thresh SO to Is bushels full
day IS bushels middle day work. That this would
give winter work for horses that would give employ
ment to the hired who is cast adrft That it
would stop the enormous demand for labor at certain
times. That it would remove the tyranny of crcum
stance in getting your thresher but above ALL and be
yOnd ALL it would knock the eevatorage system, the
market stufing, the famine and largely the price
control, higher than gilderoys kite. 1t would save
about 5000 year q 16Oacre wheat farm, in money
land it would make the winter useful season.
| Now, Friend Crothers, let put this tremendous
almost Unreasonable advantage against your difficult
ties.
II it be true that you could not shed your header
cnt to advantage, that would cause you use Irvine
Twine will cost II to 15c BY the time your crop
is cut. Say $18 for the crop from 160acre farm
That will buy 1000 feet of Gull stuff in 1T - #
Theoretically that would side up shed 1OG
feet long, 8 or 10 feet high-having spaces in wide
Two crops would get the uprights and the siding The
roofing might b improvised from straw for time. No
excuse meout Of the $500 saved ~ threshne youl