Dream Reaper: The Story of an Old-Fashioned Inventor in the High-Tech, High-Stakes World of Mo Dern Agriculture

Two cousins have devoted 10 years to developing and marketing a revolutionary new harvester. Kansas farmer and mechanical wizard Mark Underwood gutted a standard combine, rebuilding it to fit his innovative design. His Bi-roter combine, ``Whitey,'' produces cleaner grain and is more efficient than the standard. Ralph Lagergren, a persuasive salesman, raised capital and sought publicity and corporate interest. Canine deftly interweaves the story of the two men's struggles with a history of the mechanization of agriculture. This lively account of men working under pressure, improvising repairs and demonstrating the new machine, is also a story of courage that illustrates the barriers facing an independent inventor. Mark and Ralph are still seeking a corporate sponsor, still determined to market the combine. Illustrations. (Aug.)