Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-02

A combined harvester and header now
in use in many OF the bigger fields re-
Quires as many as Twenty-Five norses 10
pull 1t. The header. as the name I'M
plies, cuts only the head OF the stalk.
A rotary motion carries these heads into
the harvester, where they are separated
and packed into sacks without human
hands touching them.
II have seen wheat cut by taese ma
chimes in the morning taken - ne iniu
to be ground into -four in the afternoon
and made into hot biscuits Tor supper
that night" said Mr.. Carleton
The header cannot be used Cllcss the
wheat field be dry and absoluteii inS.ufe.
The combined harvesters and binders cut
swaths Of wheat, straw as well rs head,
from a space about seven feet wide.
These swaths are carried up by an aprons
like machine to be bound and tied with
an iron arm into sheaves. The machinery
is so operated that it accumulates these
sheaves and systematically drops them
at intervals to form shocks. 1t is not
an uncommon thing to see forty or more
Of these binders at work on one ranch.
Wheat is Of two varieties. known TO tho
trade as hard and soft Obviously. the
hard is that adapted to winter growth
Practically the same kinds OF wheat are
planted this year as in recent years.
One-haif of the country's winter wheat
is grown from the Kharkov variety. in
troduced into this country by Mr.. Carrie
ton in 1900. Two years prior to that date
he explored Russia and Siberia on an
agricultural expedition for the purpose of
discovering what grain crops of those
countries were best adapted for growth
in the United States. He learned the Ian
guage and lived like a native on the
Russian farms, that he might study the
crops more closely. He foresaw that
wheat which would Withstand the cold
climate OF the cars dominions would ne
ideally suited to Kansas and the other
winter wheat states of the United states.
Tn, he hn a
the Kharkov-which he subsequently IN
troduced with great success
Mr. Carleton also introduced from cast
ern Russia variety of spring wheat.
called the durum, which is best suited
to our dry regions. Our durum wheat i'm
dustry which has already resulted from
this implantation is now valued at $4O.-
100000 annually.
In comparison with the United States
as a wheat producer Russia ranks next
or second on the world list. Her wheat
crop for 1914 is estimated at s12.541, 900
bushels. almost 1aOOOO,O 600 less than the
bumper crop Of the United States. Rus
STA has heretofore exported more wheat
than the United States. however. but IL
is estimated that our Hour export Is
greater than hers, owing to the greater
perfection of our milling industries In
1913 our total expectation equaled 49,
600 bushels. 30 per cent OF winch was
in the form Of -four. The largest amount
ever exported was in 1901. when from q
crop of 750.OO0.00O bushels 234.o0o.OoO were
sent abroad.
Because Of the increasing size of our
wheat CROPS many uses are found for
this grain that might have been thought
extravagant years ago. large quantity
is being cultivated each year for the ex-
elusive purpose Of manufacturing maca-
roni Many breakfast foods are now be-
ing made from wheat after it has been
subjected to different heat processes.
But the greatest use Of wheat, needless
to say, will be for -four. Wheat flour UNI
doubtedly makes the most palatable of all
breads, as it is the reaction of the yeast
upon the gluten in this particular grain
that gives the lightness demanded by
Americans in their staff of life IT is the
absence of this gluten that causes heavi-
ness in other breads-for example. that
made from rye -four. We are partial To
wheat not because Of its greater nutn-
tive value, says Mr.. Carleton. but BE-
cause Of its greater palatability.
Copyright. 1914. by John Elfreth Watkins)