A header for attachment to a self-propelled harvesting machine or to a chopper type machine, which is either self-propelled or a pull-type unit, comprising: a) a frame having a first end and a second end, and having a bottom plate positioned adjacent to said first end, said bottom plate having a front edge and a rear edge, and said bottom plate is inclined upward towards said rear edge; b) a rotatable pick-up head pivotally mounted on said first end of said frame, said pick-up head having at least two spaced apart and outwardly extending finger sets, each finger set containing a plurality of fingers spaced apart from one another across the width of said pick-up head, each finger set sequentially contacting growing plants in a field, each plant having a stem containing a high moisture content and a base, and each of said finger sets bending said stems downward onto said bottom plate and towards said incline; c) a cutting mechanism mounted on said bottom plate below said pick-up head, said cutting mechanism cutting each of said stems at said respective base as said harvesting machine traverses a crop field; d) a crimper mechanism positioned adjacent to said rear edge of said bottom plate, said crimper mechanism having a driven bottom crimp roll positioned below a top crimp roll, said top crimp roll is rotatably connected to said bottom crimp roll, a first nip is formed between said bottom crimp roll and said top crimp roll, and said cut stems are directed through said first nip to form a moving web having a width equal to the width of said pick-up head; e) a moisture removal mechanism positioned above and behind said crimper mechanism, said moisture removal mechanism having a driven suction roll positioned below a biased press roll, said moisture removal mechanism also having an idler roll positioned behind said suction roll, said idler roll having a smaller diameter than said suction roll, and a wire belt forming a closed loop around both said suction roll and said idler roll, said wire belt having a plurality of small apertures formed therethrough, a second nip is formed between said wire belt and said press roll, and said moisture removal mechanism lowering said moisture in said cut stems; characterised in that the header comprises f) a crop converging mechanism located downstream of said moisture removal mechanism, said crop converging mechanism reducing the width of said moving web to a narrow ribbon having a width of less than 76 cm (about 30 inches), and said crop converging mechanism including a pair of rotating augers aligned on a common axis which can forcibly reduce the width of said moving web. a) a frame having a first end and a second end, and having a bottom plate positioned adjacent to said first end, said bottom plate having a front edge and a rear edge, and said bottom plate is inclined upward towards said rear edge; b) a rotatable pick-up head pivotally mounted on said first end of said frame, said pick-up head having at least two spaced apart and outwardly extending finger sets, each finger set containing a plurality of fingers spaced apart from one another across the width of said pick-up head, each finger set sequentially contacting growing plants in a field, each plant having a stem containing a high moisture content and a base, and each of said finger sets bending said stems downward onto said bottom plate and towards said incline; c) a cutting mechanism mounted on said bottom plate below said pick-up head, said cutting mechanism cutting each of said stems at said respective base as said harvesting machine traverses a crop field; d) a crimper mechanism positioned adjacent to said rear edge of said bottom plate, said crimper mechanism having a driven bottom crimp roll positioned below a top crimp roll, said top crimp roll is rotatably connected to said bottom crimp roll, a first nip is formed between said bottom crimp roll and said top crimp roll, and said cut stems are directed through said first nip to form a moving web having a width equal to the width of said pick-up head; e) a moisture removal mechanism positioned above and behind said crimper mechanism, said moisture removal mechanism having a driven suction roll positioned below a biased press roll, said moisture removal mechanism also having an idler roll positioned behind said suction roll, said idler roll having a smaller diameter than said suction roll, and a wire belt forming a closed loop around both said suction roll and said idler roll, said wire belt having a plurality of small apertures formed therethrough, a second nip is formed between said wire belt and said press roll, and said moisture removal mechanism lowering said moisture in said cut stems; characterised in that the header comprises f) a crop converging mechanism located downstream of said moisture removal mechanism, said crop converging mechanism reducing the width of said moving web to a narrow ribbon having a width of less than 76 cm (about 30 inches), and said crop converging mechanism including a pair of rotating augers aligned on a common axis which can forcibly reduce the width of said moving web.