Bits and Bobs for an Old West Town

[Argonor]

I can see them work for hay bales, but did they have those pressed bales back then?

[Cory]

Baling is a 20th century thing - old west would be loose hay.

[hentzau]

Baling is a 20th century thing - old west would be loose hay.

Huh.  Never even thought about the fact that those tied bales would be an anachronism.  Too many low budget old west TV shows watched as a child.  Well, saves me a lot of cutting now.

[Cory]

In 1900 they were still perfecting the beaverslides which saw widespread use in the Rockies until the 1940s. Some horsedrawn rollers were available by 1890, but without mechanical lifting equipment loose hay was a lot easier to work with, the advantage touted for hay rolls was reduced rodent infestation.

[hentzau]

Maybe I'll have Professor Wickwire and the Schwenke Sisters set up shop in Zenda.

"Baled Hay!  It's a coming thing!"

[Argonor]

Actually, I looked it up, and the first bale press (presser?) was invented before the ACW. They were huge things though, often 2-3 storeys high (set up inside a barn), and had mules lifting heavy weights to apply pessure on the hay.

Probably not many of those on the Frontier 

Mobile presses (pressers?) were developed during the last half of the 19th Cty (if my source is correct).

http://www.farmcollector.com/implements/hay-press-zmhz12fzbea.aspx