Introduction and history

• Most grain and seed crops are now harvested with combined harvester-threshers, commonly known as combines.
• Except for the differences in the feeding arrangement and the addition of a straw stacker, stationary threshers employ the same principles and include the same basic components as combines.
• Although the greatest application of combines is in harvesting the small grains, corn and soybeans, these machines are also used for a wide variety of small-acreage or specialty crops.
• Thus, although most emphasis in the following discussion will be placed upon grain harvesting, occasionally consideration will be given to other seed crops.