4 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Jan. 2, 1920. 



pin ill the drauglit connection, so that in case of a sudden jerk (from an 

 earth-fast stone or similar cause; the pin breaks, and thereby prevents any 

 overstress on the tractor or plough. 



Little ploughing was in progress during the period of my observations, but 

 what work was seen was quite satisfactory. The turning on the headlands 

 was accomplished as quickly as or quicker than with a team of horses, and 

 the width of the hpadlaiid was not over large. A Fordson tractor, (h-awing a 

 single-furrow plough (16-inch, cut and 10 inches deep) in the small fields of 

 Jersey, was seen to plough quite close enough to the hedges to satisfy the 

 requirements of all farmers. 



The spee<i at which the tractor travels influences the quality of the plough- 

 ing, and for good work a pace of 2^^ to 3 miles an liour shouhi not be exceeded. 



With the experience of the last two years, adjustments have now been 

 made to tillage implements whereby the tractor may be employed for almost 

 every class of work, including harrowing, cultivating, mowing, seeding, and 

 as a stationary engine for driving machinery. In the last-named capacity 

 the use of a 20-h.p., Titan may be instanced : it was used for pressing hay, 13 

 tons of hay being pressed daily on a paraffin consumption of 8 gallons. For 

 binders, two machines may be drawn with satisfactory results, but a close 

 watch must be kept for bolts and nuts working loose if any fast travelling is 

 done. A special draught rack should be fitted to the binder pole, with a 

 steering-wheel connection to the attendant's «eat on the binfler. There 

 would be no saving in labour in the use of the tractor-drawn binder or 

 harvester, because of the necessity of one man being in attendance on the 

 machine itself ; indeed, the cost would be considerably more. Further, a 

 tractor used in conjunction with a harvester means a considerable risk of 

 firing the crop. In many cases the exhaust becomes red hot, and there is 

 occasionally a spurt of flame. In the Australian climate, where the straw 

 becomes so dry, and the standing straw would come in such close contact 

 with the exhaust, the risk of fire would be serious. 



The farm tractor is totally uiisuited for road haulage ; it is unsprung, and 

 on metal roads the vibration would be so great as to quickly shake it to 

 pieces. For this class of work a much heavier machine is required, weight 

 being necessary for gripping on the hard surface, whereas the bars and sj)uds 

 fitted to the wheels perform this function on soil. On earth roads, such as are 

 found on farms, of course, the tractor may be satisfactorily used for haulage. 

 Details as to type and construction are outside the scope of the present 

 report. As the result of various findings and suggestions, manufacturers 

 have been continually improving the farm tractors; and with the return of 

 normal manufacturing conditions, further improvements may be expected. 

 Machines of British manufacture are comparatively recent arrivals, and 

 experience of them is too brief to warrant comment, but it may be remarked 

 of the Glasgow (a machine with three wheels, all of which are driven) that 

 its makers claim to have eliminated the tendency of the front of tlie tractor 

 to lift and overturn — a tendency that is evident with the present light class 

 of machine. It is also claimed that the tractor will draw a three-furrow 



