Show CUCUMBER THRESHING IS NEW Modern Farming Methods That Have Come Into Western Country With Irrigation In western states where most vino crops grow to perfection on the irrigated Irri-gated lands hundreds of acres of cucumbers cu-cumbers cantaloupes and watermelons II are reserved for seed by seed companies com-panies and by farmers who grow them for the seed houses It Is n common sight from October to December to sue the seed threshers In the fields I of cucumbers and melons threshing I them for their seed The growing of cucumbers for seed Is considered very profitable and often oft-en the owner clears from 100 to 160 an acre as till seed brings 1 to 2 j a pound While the cucumbers might bo sold to canning factories many farmers prefer to let them remain for the seed as the expense of gathering Is not so great the Income nn acre being about as much Tho threshing costs n reasonable amount The cucumbers are grown In rows six feet apart both ways and tho seeds are planted the last of April or the first of May After the plants come through tho ground they are hoed and Irrigated the furrows for the water running lengthwise with the rows and close to tho hills A cul tlvator Is used to stir tho soil and keep It mellow until the vines are running well between the rows then the cultivation ceases The cucumbers are plied together The cucumber thiesher Is built on x wagonlike frame supported by reat wide wheels and drawn by two gorses At tho rear of tho machine Is stationed a little two ilorse power Sasollne engine which operates tho machinery of tho thresher Just in front of the engine is the crusher that looks like a common elder mill It contains two Iron rollers moving together to-gether and crushing the cucumbers ns they pass between Against the crusher sits the framework containing the seeder The cucumbers pass from the crusher crush-er Into tills large cylindrical seeder which sits horizontally Tho outer surface of the seeder Is a wire netting with meshes largo enough to permit the seeds to drop through into the vat I below but retaining the crushed cucumbers cu-cumbers The front end of the cylinder cylin-der being lower than the rear the cucumbers cu-cumbers are rolled slowly forward by its revolutions until they drop out at the horses heels When the vat beneath tho cylinder Is filled with seeds a seed box Is drawn on a low sled to the opening at the side of the machine and tho seeds are allowed to run out a spout into It The threshing proceeds and the seeds are hauled away to a place where they are thoroughly washed from all foreign matter and spread out on screening wire inclosed in frames to dry |