376 



in tlie order in wliich he values them: clover halm, damaged silage, 

 green weeds and straw from stubble field, sedge grass, briers, weeds 

 and trash from fence corners, partially rotten straw, straw, sorghum 

 cane pomace, dry weeds and trash from clover fields in spring, and brush. 



Utah Station, Bulletin No. 2, November, 1890 (pp. 13). 



Plow trials, J. W. Sanborn, B. S. — This bulletin includes brief 

 accounts of experiments by the author and A. A. Mills, B. S., superin- 

 tendent of farm experiment work at the station, in which the draft of 

 l)lows used under different conditions was determined with the dyna- 

 mometer. The details of these experiments will probably be published 

 in the annual report of the station. Keference is also made to previous 

 experiments by the author, recorded in Bulletin No. 4 of the Missouri 

 Station. The nature of the trials niade at the Utah Station, as well as 

 the conclusions drawn by the author, are indicated in the following 

 summary taken from the bulletin. 



The question of tlie draft of i>low8 is a very important cue. In round numbers 

 200,000,000 (lays of horse work is used annually in plowing for the staple crops of 

 this country. A change in the draft of 10 to 30 per cent, which may easily occur, 

 as a difference between good plows and plowing and poor plows and plowing, may 

 not alfect the visible as much as it does the invisible cost of plowing; nevertheless 

 the cost occurs. Invisible costs are of more concern tons than visible costs. In case 

 of plowing, extra cost of plowing may occur in the character of the work, or extra 

 hardship to the plowman and the horses. The dynamometer trials represent only 

 the tax upon the horse. No useless or extra tax can be put upon the horse without 

 either an unavoidable extra cost of food or decrease in the weight or in the vigor of 

 the horse. The tax will probably occur in all three of above directions. In addition 

 to the recorded extra draft found as the result of the changes recorded in this bul- 

 letin, there are other losses liable to be involved. These will be found in the char- 

 acter of the work done, extra exertion to the plowman, and extra wear to the plow. 



Conclusions. — (1) Coulters add to the draft of iilows. 



(2) Trucks under the end of tlie beam lessen draft and add to the uniformity of the 

 furrow and decrease the work of the plowman. 



(3) A share sharpened by a blacksmith [but so that the point had too much dip aud 

 an irregular cutting edge], drew 3G per cent harder than a new share. 



(4) A dull share drew harder than a sharp one, but not as hard as a poorly sharp- 

 ened share. 



(5) Less loss of draft was foan<l when the plowuniu forced the plow to carry a fur- 

 row out of harmony with the hitch at the bridle than it was expected would bo 

 found. 



(6) When the sulky plow was forced to take land by adjustments by the pole form- 

 ing a lino at an angle with the plow, there was a loss of draft. 



(7) No loss of draft was found either when the share was made straight on its base 

 or straight on its laud side; on the contrary, a slight gain was recorded. 



(8) Lengthening the hitch slightly decreased the draft of the plow. 



(9) Changing plowmen varied the draft, but not so materially as it has been sup- 

 posed it would. 



(10) A three wheeled sulky plow, having no pole — the third wheel running in the 

 furrow and allowing of a shorter land side — gave a light draft aud excellent work. 



(11) Walking plows gave very slightly less draft than did sulky plows with rider, 

 but not a material difference. 



