The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-07-10


ed on the prairies Of the Middle West
is not only handled in manner that
would have astonishcd our grandfath-
ers, but in the harvesting and atten-
dant proceedings are features of recent
origin that are revelation to those
who have not kept in close touch with
the advancement of agricultural meth
DDS in the past half dozen years.
0f co"rsc, The days &C tho cradle
aud hand binding Of the shcavcs are
far in the past; but it is not so long
ago that the self binder was dubious
scr. of Z machine with scc.e ucce--
tainty as to whether or not The baud
would hold the wheat together. The
modern self binder is not only lighter
of weight and draught, but its action
is marvcllously accurate. No matter
whether the wheat growth is tall or
short, whether sunfowcrs are mixed
with the grain or jimson weeds wan
der among the rows, the driver, with
a pressure of lever regulates the
tension of the binding -twinc, and
every bundle when it is thrown fror.
the platform is as perfect as can be
wished. The use Of binding twine is
so general that the industry of manu-
featuring it has become one of magni-
tude. The States Of Kansas and Min.
nesota have State binding -twine plants
where the convicts Of the penitentiary
prepare the twine for farmers at cost.
The State of Kansas will this year use
about IL, 900. 900 pounds of twine at 4
cost OF about ten cents u pound, of
which the State plant will furnish
ono-fourth.
The use of the header is growing in
the parts of the west where the value
of the straw is not taken into consid-
Grafton. This machine has but one
Ubject-to take as little straw and as
much wheat as possible. 1t is pushed
ahead Of four horses, the driver guild
ing the whole by a tiller behind the
team. At one side is carrier lead
ing from tho platform on which the
heads of grain fall, and this swiftly
transports the grain upward and emp
ties it into wagon driven alongside.
The header-box on the wagon becom-
ing full, the wagon is driven to stack
where it is unloaded by machinery Gf
the farmer is fully up-to date), and
another takes its place. In this way,
with the long swath Of the header,
large amount Of grain can be cut in q
day. Sometimes the header-boxes
empty their fulness directly into the
thresher, and by night the wheat that
at daylight stood in the field is in the
elevator ready for shipment to market
by the first train.
More improvement has been made in
threshing machinery than in harvest.
ing improvements. The past FIVE years
have seen almost revolution in meth
DDS Of taking the grain out of the
straw. 1t was not SO long ago that the
coming of the threshars meant extra
work for every member of the family.
The housewife had to provide for the
horde Of laborcrs, aud the boys waited
without enthusiasm for the long hot
days at the business end of straw
carrier. There were sweaty teams to
drive in the endless circles of the
horsepower, the rattling of the tumb-
ling rods, and the struggling feeders
at the hungry mouth of the machine,
forcing the dusty grain into the whir-
ring teeth below.
Only for little while could the
youth at the end of the straw-oarrier
or the feeder at the other end of the
machine endure his task; then others
filed the positions for short period,
only to give way when exhausted. The
farmer himself watched closely the
little stream Of wheat that poured
from the spout, and assisted in lifting
the full measures to the wagons,
meanwhile keeping "tally" on the
production.
The modern threshing- time is alto
gether different. The threshing crew
comes in a sense on the wings of
steamer gasoline The traction
engine with the separator, cook.wagon,
and water-tank in tow, takes it's de-
liberate way across country from farm
to farm, one team Of horses being
needed to accompany it. She engine
is covered by an awning that forms a
cool cab for the engineer, and is easily
guided by the man in charge. 1t is
in effect the automobile Of the plains.
From the coal-burning engine to the
straw-burner was q transition, and now
there is coming in vogue the gasoline
engine that ia an imnrovamaot ~