The Carlisle independent., 1919-09-11

ment of ,Agriculture)
 When farmer plans to thrash from the field. engages u custom thrashing crew to do the work on q certain day aad the outfit does not appear until three weeks after the specified time, is 1t any wonder that the countryman makes few pointed remarks concern Ing custom thrashermen in general and this oneAin particular?
 Unreliability of custom thrashers. labor complications which often arise when two outfits reach a neighborhood the same day. the expense of custom thrashing. the careless and extrava- gant work of some hired machines, and similar factors have caused grain growers in the corn belt to organize cooperative thrashing rings for the purchase. maintenance and efficient operatiQn of thrashing machinery. Benefits of the thrashing ring are shown in an instance reported by the United States department of agricul- turc. One large thrashlng ring which has been particularly successful and which has met all expenses and paid for Itself in four years out of the mon- ey ordinarily paid by the members for custom thrashins is the Up-to-Date Thrashfng company of Livingston county. Illinois. which Is composed of ten members who own 15 farms. The partnership capita! originally totaled $S.213. and the equipment included a 29-horSepower steam engine, water tank. separator. with 34-incn cy- finder. corn shelier and second hand silage cutter. which las been re- placed by new one. The total thrash ing 4Orce usually employed in this ring. for field work consists of ten men tth teams to haul bundles; Ave 4tchets ia the field; three men with t4 ams to haul the thrashed grain; two men to help unload the grain ct the 4s6rN: one man on the stack; one man to operate the stacker; one man to clean up about the machinery; one water boy: and three men with the shrnshing outfit. This involves force If x7 men. A ring of this size demands capable management to insure sue ceas
 On Smaller Scale.
 A sMaller thrashing ring, organized ias& year In Fsyette county. Ohio. con- siets of three landowners, whose part neFsldp capital consists of S1.OOO. which represents the cost of small 2etnch separator. with & ciever-seed attachEaent. the power being furnished by . 1924 farm tractor. These farms aggregate 400 acres of small grain. a little outside thrashinS for hire being done each year Last year 20O0 bush els of Oats, 0.0O0 bushels of wheat and 100 bushels of clover seed were shrashed. The ordinary crew was made up of Ave men. with teams and wagons to haul bundles; two men, with 1251bushei wagon beds to haul grain three miles; one man to manage the outfit, and boy to help. Bundle wagons were used to replace two or Fl 3e hell pitchers. while the use of . gas engine also dispenses with the water boy. The engineer has time to hclp considerably about the separator.
 
 able to thrash and deliver to the ele- yntor, three miles distant, an average of approximately 7JO bushels Of wheat q eay.
 fk emalier Units Favored.
 During the last two or three years inc number of thrashing outfits sold to farm orGanixat lions has greatly in- creased. and the tendency at present ts toward tho formation of smaller CO operat1ye units and the purchase of small outfits This comes from the ne cessity for more economical use of labor and the advent of the farm trac- for. the power of which can be well utilized to run small thrasher, which, complete with wind stacker |, scff.feeder and weigher, costs about N,2O0. Most of the farmers clubs are small. 3 that all members may get heir thrashing finished in about nf fceH days. Ali thrashinE is completed ,n seasonable time. so that the grain may be saved to best advantage.
 Advantage of Rings.
 There are two general metnoos oi ring cooperation. the most common in volyiug the hiring of a thrashing out t,t. the other its purchase.
 Thrashing rings arc beneficial inas much as the thrashing calendar in ueiehborhood may be so arranged tha the work can be carried out with ths least possible loss of time in moving from farp to farm. As job near completion the first men through knowing their assignments in the mex place, may go there immediately ant have the grain ready to thrash by tit lime the outfit arrives and is set up No time is lost either In contractini