RISE & FALL OF TRAILED COMBINES

While some may consider the self-propelled Massey-Harris 21 combine as the machine that revolutionised grain harvesting it was still only a development of the early combined harvesters that dated as far back as the 1880s.

Some rudimentary self-propelled combines were in operation then but mostly combine harvesters were pulled by large teams of mules and horses for harvesting the large fields of California.

Cumbersome

Up to 40 mules were needed to pull the early combines which were cumbersome machines of wood and steel. Drive was taken from huge spoked land wheels while it needed several operators to control the draught animals, the cutter section and to bag off the threshed grain.

Hiram Moore of Kalamazoo in Michigan is credited as the first man to design and build such a machine. These were only suitable for vast wheatlands