POWER ON THE FARM 165 



lished near Adelaide, Australia, which at that time had 

 been in continuous operation for two years with com- 

 plete success. The wind wheel in this installation is 

 18 feet in diameter, placed on a tower 60 feet high. 

 The generator is of 2 l /2 kilowatt capacity. The stor- 

 age battery consists of 54 cells of 324 Amp, hour 

 capacity at the 3 hour rate. The total number of lamps 

 connected with this installation is over one hundred of 

 varying candle power and the actual average output 

 amounts to about 3 kilowatts per night. The plant is 

 also used to operate three flat irons, one radiator, one 

 electric motor driving a cream separator, some fans 

 and for occasionally charging the battery of an electric 

 motor car. The expense consisted of the use of about 

 30 gallons of distilled water every twelve months for 

 keeping the battery full and the adjustment of the 

 grease cups once per month. At the end of two years 

 there was no sign whatever of wear or tear on the plant 

 or the battery. The average wind velocity in the vi- 

 cinity for the year was 8.8 miles per hour. In the 

 operation of a corn planter a check wire is used which 

 extends entirely across the field. It is not at all im- 

 probable that a movable wire which would convey elec- 

 trical power to a plow or a mowing machine, could be 

 similarly installed so that the current from the electric 

 turbine, directly or through the large storage battery, 

 might well be conveyed to one of the moving agricul- 

 tural implements described. 



It may seem somewhat visionary to prophesy the 

 day when harvesting and plowing will be accomplished 

 by the force of the wind ; but it is not a visionary idea, 

 it is entirely within the realm of possibility. The 

 farmer at least should have no fear of the increasing 

 scarcity of wood and the increasing cost of coal. He 



