Old Oliver Combine ???

[Mark(EC,IN)]

In the latest copy of "Heritage Iron" on page 18 under the 50 years ago section it says "The 40 continued to be Oliver's largest self-propelled combine".

It goes on to say it had a choice of two corn heads....one harvested only the ears....and the other fed the entire corn plant into the machine.

Why would you want to feed the whole plant in the machine? I've heard of making a ground ear corn with a machine, but the whole plant?

.... Just Curious ..........................Mark

 

[oleclint]

Mark, I am old enough to remember seeing one of those " whole stalk" Olivers working . If I remember it right , the idea was to run the whole stalk thru the combine to save ear loss. It did not work due to the overloaded cyl , straw walkers & cleaning sieves. I watched it in very good corn in northern Ill. river bottoms . Not an impressive outfit , to say the least.
But the latter Oliver s were very good combines . Had 2 of them . clint