Woodcut of Obed Hussey's original reaper. A man sits on a box that covers the machinery, holding a rake that helps guide the wheat into the cutter bars. The apparatus is connected to a shaft that allows it to be pulled by a pair of horses, but the horses are not shown.

The one process in the whole business of turning wheat into bread when time is of the essence is the harvest. It’s back-breaking work, and the slightest delay can ruin the quality of the grain. In Europe, a ready supply of peasants got the job done. In America labour, especially in the newly settled midwest, was extremely scarce. Inventors had to come up with machines.

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