2'JO REPORT OK OFriCE OF K.\ I'KKI MKNT STATIONS. 



(he porfoctcd luaohinos were sent to some iiuplciiu'iit cxixmiiiumiI sta- 

 tion and (here siihjcctcd to tlu)r()U<;li sciciit die and impailial tests 

 from till' Itiiycr's standpoint, and compared with sinnlar machines 

 of other makes, these tests would prohabiy save the manufacturers 

 thou^^ands of dollai's, and ^ri'ater sums would l)e saved the farmers 

 in that they Avould be able to obtain the machines suitable for theii- 

 special requirements. 



SOME NEEDED INVESTIGATIONS. 



TILLA(iK IM ri.E.ME.NTS. 



Some of the lines of farm-machinery investigation which merit 

 special attention may be mentioned. Tillino- tlie soil is the most 

 ancient ai>'riculturai pursuit, and the implements used for the purpose 

 have been evolved from the crooked stick to the modern tillage imple- 

 ments and have revolutionized oui- methods of farming. 



The American plows are preeminently superior in construction to 

 plow^s of other countries, and they are now- made in about two hundred 

 varieties and shapes. However, no adeijuate or scientific investiga- 

 tions have ever been conducted in this country to determine which of 

 the shapes of moldboards are best suited to the different soils; which 

 will produce the best pulverization of soil at a minimum expenditnre 

 of power; Avhat is the mathematically correct shape of moldboards 

 for plows; and in what soils disk or moldboard plows can be used to 

 the best advantage. 



For pulverizing the soil after plowing, we have a great varietj'^ of 

 harrows and cultivators, but which of these tools are best suited for 

 soil cultivation, and wdiat forms will produce the best tilth at a mini- 

 mum cost in implements and labor, have not as yet been determined. 

 In the semiarid regions of the West, which comprise about one- 

 fourth of our agricultural domain, there is need of special implements 

 for the conservation of moisture in the soil by subsurface packing 

 and the forming of soil mulches, and special implements need to be 

 manufactured to meet the requirements in those sections. Careful 

 investigations need be made to determine wdiat forms of tools are best 

 suited to meet the needs for cultivation in the semiarid regions. 



SEEmNG AND PLANTING IMPLEMENTS. 



Seeding and planting implements have been very much improved 

 in this country, and yet there is a large field of usefulness for experi- 

 ments and investigations to improve these implements still more. It 

 has been determined that corn planters can be so improved in their 

 accuracy of dropping the corn that the yield of corn may be increased 

 about 20 per cent by the use of the perfected types of planters. The 

 indications are that the grain drills may be improved to an equal 



