Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-07
the LUXURY OF THE HARVEST.

|
How easy harvest goes in these days
! of luxurious farming. The binder cuts
aud ties the grain into bundles, carries
| the bundles along to drop them con-
| veniently in rows anu punched for
| shocking while the farmer sits in state
| percncd upon comfortable seat and
whistles merrily. Anyhow that's the
way 1t looks to man who has as
| boy carried bundles" to the shocker
| and as youth bound his station"
| behind a "sels rake" reaper or taken
| his half of the grain that came up to
! the table" over the carrying apron
| of a Marsh harvester.
May, many years ago my children
| there were no binders. To begin at
| the beginning, which is within the
memory of men still available for the
| home guard, the hand rake reaper was
still in existence. 1t was a rather
crude affair compared with the pres
ent machine. One man drove it and
another bestrode a seat behind with
a short handled rake adapted to the
use for VIII CHI it was intended. When
sufficient of the grain for a bundle
had fallen on the platform the raker
twisted his body sidewise and with his
rake deposited it on the ground.
"Eaking off" was an accomplishment,
an art. To keep the grain off the plat
form Of six-foot cut reaper and still
leave it in neat punches on the ground
rcauy for the binders who followed re-
uuired dexterlty and to handle a rake
thru a long harvest day from sun up
to sun down required muscles and en-
Curance. 1t also required the same
physical strength and dexterity to-
bind a station behind the reaper.
Four or at most five men bound all
the reaper could cut. The binder
lay on the ground by q rake or with
hand and foot. He had made his
band" by twist that tied the head
ends of a handful of grain together
as he walked from one bunch to an
other. He Strengthened up with the
bundle in his arms, drew his band
tight about it, twisted a knot and
tucked It under with his thumb. Some
fast binders scarcely seemed to pause
| fhcir Thal
sooner he finished his station" the
longer breathing spell he had before
the reaper swept past him again drawn
by four straining horses urged on by
the cracking of long whip and the
voice Of the driver to leave another
row of unbound grain behind At and
before him.
Then some genius invented the self
rake 1t was simply wonderful in
vention IN it's day. 1t saved man
Controlled by foot lever at the driv-
ers seat that great rake swept ove!
and down upon the platform and left
particularly neat and handy package
of grain ready for the binders hand.
1t was accredited as almost human"
| Seymour & Morgan" Mccormick"
and other manufacturers fought for
precedence and approval. Some vast
fortunes came out of the self rake
| reaper"
Then came the Marsh harvester"
1t was a marvel. Two or at most
three men bound all the grain that it
could cut. Elevators brought the cut
grain UP from the platform to tables
where the binders stood and rode as
they bound. And then some other
genius, no doubt lazy shocker, dis
| covered that d bundle carrier could be
| rugged and tripped at intervals thereby
| bringing the bundles into windrows.
And so harvesting machinery grew
little by little to the climax.
1t taxed agricultural human credulny
when the climax came with the self
| binder" Somebody told a tale Of the
| his own eyes reaper that not only
cut but tied the grain into bundles
with wire bands" In the first place
| the fact was doubted. Then it wouldn't
work." But finally 1t was accepted as
another proof that man IL only little
lower than the angels But the wire
"killed the CATTLE" It was an annoy
ance all around. Especially was a long
slim piece of wire out of place in a
STRAW tick" And then because 1t was
needed somebody else brought out
| Irvine for binders. And those who had
long years ago had cut grain with
hooks" and later prided themselves on
the even swath they could LAY with
cradle" and had "raked off," bound
their stations ETC., thru the period OF
development gave three hearty cheers
and bought binder on time at a fierce
price giving therefor property state
ment note and mayhap mortgaging adj
the live stock on the place.
4 o, no, it isn't over yet. We still use
|, horses on the binders. Next thing we
know the binders will go popping across
, field with the niuffler open.
. He Alansd The HoffIa.