McCormick, Cyrus Hall (1809-1884), invented a reaping machine that revolutionized grain harvesting in the United States. His horse-drawn reaper enabled farmers to harvest more than 10 acres (4 hectares) of grain per day. Before his invention, farmers harvested with cradle scythes and a skilled worker could harvest at most 2 or 3 acres (0.8 to 1.2 hectares) per day.