The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-07-18

prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture)
When farmer plans to thrash from
the field, engages custom thrashing
crew to do the work on certain day
and 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 one in 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-
CANT 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
operation of thrashng machinery.
Benefits of the thrashing ring are
shown in an instance reported by the
United States department of agricul-
lure. One large thrashing 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 thrashing is the Up-to-Date
Thrashing company of Livingston
county. Illinois, which is composed of
ten members who own IS farms. The
partnership capital originally totaled
1929. and the equipment included
2O-hOrsepower steam engine, a water
tank, separator with a 34-inch cy-
Under, corn shelter and second
hand silage cutter, which has been re-
placed by new one. The total thrash
ing force usually employed in this
ring for field work consists of ten men
with teams to haul bundles; five
pitchers in the field three men with
teams to haul the thrashed grain two
men to help unload the grain at the
barn; 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
thrashing outfit. This involves force
Of 81 men. A ring of this size demands
capable management to insure sue
cess.
On Smaller Scale.
smaller thrashing ring, organized
last year in Fayette county, Ohio, con-
sists of three landowners whose part
nership capital consists of $1,000,
which represents the cost of small
22-inch separator, with a clover-seed
attachment, the power being furnished
Ly 1924 farm tractor. These farms
aggregate 400 acres of small grain, a
little outside thrashing for hire being
done each year Last year $500 bush
els Of oats, 1000 bushels of wheat and
100 bushels of clover seed were
thrashed. The ordinary crew was
made up of five men. with teams and
wagons to haul bundles; two men,
with 125-bushel 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
three field pitchers, while the use OF
gas engine also dispenses with the
water boy. The engineer has time to
help considerably about the separator
With this small force this outfit was
nble to thrash and deliver to the ele-
vator, three miles distant, an average
of approximately 75O bushels of wheat
a day.
Smaller Units Favored.
During the last two or three years
the number Of thrashing outfits sold to
farm organizations has greatly in
creased, and the tendency at present
is toward the formation Of smaller CO.
operative 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-
tor, the power of which can be well
utilized to run small thrasher,
which, complete with a wind stacker,
self-feeder and weigher, costs about
$1,000 Most of the farmers clubs are
small so that all members may get
their thrashing finished in about fif-
teen days. All thrashing is completed
in seasonable time, so that the grain
may be saved to best advantage.
Advantage Of Rings.
There are two general methods of
ring cooperation, the most common In
volving the hiring of thrashing out
At. the other It's purchase.
Thrashng rings are beneficial mas
much as the thrashing calendar in q
neighborhood may be so arranged that
the work can be carried out with the
least possible loss OF time in moving
from farm to farm. AS Job nears
completion the first men through
knowing their assignments in the mex
place. may go there Immediately ant
have the grain ready to thrash by the
time the outfit arrives and is set up
No time is lost either In CONTRACTING