Mechanical reapers sound like scythe-wielding robots out for people’s souls, but in reality, they are farm tools utilized for harvesting grain. Invented by Cyrus H. McCormick in 1831, it was the first machine of its kind that changed, after hundreds of years, what people used to do with the sickle and the scythe. (Casson 208) The mechanical reaper consisted of a divider separating the stalks of grain, a reel to pull them against a blade, and the two blades that cut the grain. (Carey 257) McCormick forever changed the face of not only agriculture, but also the United States itself, with his invention. Through his mechanical reaper, McCormick changed the United States by decreasing the amount of labor needed for agriculture in addition to producing greater yields than ever before, changing marketing through his then revolutionary sales tactics, and freeing up a substantial number of farm hands in the North that later would fight in the Civil War.
McCormick's mechanical reaper increased the production of grain for less labor in less time, increasing efficiency and decreasing cost in the long run. According to Charles W. Carey, “The mechanical reaper permitted farmers to harvest as much grain in one day as they could harvest by hand in two weeks.” (257) The need for laborers to do the reaping of grain was cut down, and as a result, the funds needed to hire laborers could be allocated to other things, freeing up funds as well as people. The total production of grain skyrocketed as a result of the mechanical reaper’s efficiency. Herbert Newton Casson said that “The United States was producing wheat at the rate of ten bushels per capita, instead of four, as it had been in 1847, when McCormick built his first factory in Chicago.” (189) ...
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Works Cited
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After the civil war, America found itself with a high production rate, resulting in overproduction and falling of prices, as well as an increase on economic stress and the beginning of panic and prosperity cycles. The wars demand for products had called for a more efficient production system; therefore new machinery had come into place. New tools, such as the reaper, shown in document D, the wheat harvest of 1880, were introduced and facilitated production for farmers, making overproduction more probable. Variation on prices than begun to occur as shown in document A, Agriculture prices in 1865-1900, where a greater amount of goods became available for a more convenient price. This had farmers in distress, for they were losing more money than they were making.
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16 Helen McCully and Eleanor Noderer, eds., The American Heritage Cookbook and Illustrated History of American Eating and Drinking, II (n.p.: American Heritage Publishing, 1964), 537.
Cyrus McCormick was an American inventor who invented the reaper. The reaper was a farming tool that helped Farmers all through the US. It was a tool for cutting and harvesting grain. McCormick started working on this machine in 1820. By the time 1831, when the actual machine could be used, the reaper could cut six acres of oats in one day. The reaper could also cut 20 acres of Wheat in a day. It was a device pulled by four horses and could do the work of six men. Since he knew his invention would do well, he set up his headquarters in Chicago, where he sold thousands of these reapers. Later he entered the reaper into London’s Great Exhibition, where he won first prize and made him an instant celebrity, making $1.25 million in profits.
McCormick in 1831 created the first marla harvester, shaped like a 2 rounds of the carriage, has the cutter blades, wheel is designed and set ears, basic have later all an important part of a harvester. 1834 patents, a factory manufacturing in Chicago in 1847. Invented McCormick harvester quickly popular in the United States, and later through a variety of exposition, selling to Europe. French academy of sciences praised MaiKeMi grams "over all the biggest contribution to agriculture." He created the company merged with other companies, international harvester in 1902, is still the world's largest agricultural machinery manufacturing co., LTD. With the development of science and technology, with animal traction harvester was replaced by the combine harvester of powered by gasoline engine, played a huge role in agricultural production. Modern combine harvester is using air conditioning and shockproof, prevent noise cab, hydraulic control and electronic monitoring and automatic control devices, etc. In 1974, the world has been program control, automatic, unmanned prototype. Combine harvester will increasingly towards automation and adaptable aspect development.
By 1840 Deere produced forty plows, in 1841, seventy-five, in 1842, one hundred, and in 1843, four hundred. For today's standards these are low, however back then the farmers weren’t sold on the plows resilience and it was hard to buy these plows that were going for ten to twelve dollars. His reputation flourished as everyone knew he made superior plows. In 1834, he created a partnership with Robert Tate and John Gould and moved to Moline. The farming faction here was better because they were near water towers and an unlimited variety of coal. This partnership allowed him to enter marketing and sales as they created a new company building that started to produce 700 plows per year. He began to create everyday tools, and equipments for the requests of the farmers. In 1849, his plows were rapidly produced, manufacturing inventions were being introduced and he adjusted to the new technology innovations. A work group produced 2136 plows a year with the new equipment being brought and the firm began handing the seymour grain. This was important to John Deere’s success because he was expanding from being just a plow
Farmers were lured to the Great Plains by the promise of rich soils as dark as chocolate and the promise of bounty....
The prominent technological advancements that influenced American agriculture were numerous, but chief among them were these; The rapidly spreading railroad systems, new machines and technology to make harvesting much easier, and factories with improved productivity and efficiency to more easily process the ever-increasing amounts of produce.
The cast iron plough changed agriculture forever by speeding up, making ploughing more efficient and costs less. The cast iron tip plough was invented
Mintz, Steven. "Food in America." Digital History. History Online, 2007. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. .
Crops need nutrients and fertilizer, just like people might take vitamins to help them stay strong and healthy. Farmers test the soil to determine just which nutrients are needed in each field. Wheat is planted with a drill, which is pulled by a tractor. A drill makes a “furrow”; the farmer opens the center of the furrow, drops in a line of seeds, and then covers the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Wheat is harvested with a self-propelled machine called a “combine”. The combine shakes and beats the wheat seeds out of the heads and separates the kernels from all the other plant materials. The kernels are moved into a grain tank on the combine. Many wheat producers work with custom harvesters to get their wheat out of the field and into the bin. There “harvesters for hire” travel the country throughout harvest season- April to September. Aft...
When driving around the country, one sees hundreds and thousands of acres either planted or tilled. Sometimes one might wonder… “Who would be smart enough to think of something that can plant and till this land?” Also, who is the person that thought of pulling it behind an implement of that complexity? John Deere, the man, and the business, started out in Rutland, Vermont in 1804, He left a legacy that would change agriculture forever. When John Deere crafted his famous steel plow in his blacksmith shop in 1837, he also forged the beginning of Deere & Company “John”.