POWER ON THE FARM 391 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

 POWER ON THE FARM. 



ANIMAL power, wind, and water power have long been in 

 use on farms for various purposes. Many of the well-equipped 

 farms of to-day use gas engines to operate many kinds of 

 farm machinery. Electric power is coming into more general 

 use. It is used as stationary power in running small machines 

 and in producing light. 



Using Gas Engines. The widespread knowledge of the 

 use of gas engines makes it possible to find many men and 

 boys who are fairly competent to operate them. 



Their use as stationary engines first became popular, 

 but soon after they came to be extensively used in running 

 automobiles, motor trucks and farm tractors. 



Motor Trucks. It is not an uncommon sight to find both 

 heavy and light motor trucks in use on farms in regions 

 where roads are good. They are most common in the vicinity 

 of the best city markets. This is doubtless due to the fact 

 that one of their chief uses is in marketing farm produce. 

 Farmers thus haul to market baled hay, threshed grain, 

 potatoes, garden truck, fruit, livestock, milk, etc. Trucks are 

 used in hauling mill feeds, commercial fertilizers and other 

 forms of merchandise out to farms. 



Large motor trucks are more economical to operate than 

 small ones, when full loads are taken. This is because one 

 operator can do more work in a day with a large motor truck. 



Cooperative and private motor truck routes are maintained 

 in a number of rural districts. See Farmers' Bulletin 1032. 



Plowing With Gas Tractors. The chief use of the gas 

 tractor on modern farms is for plowing. Usually the owner 

 does not hope to save money by getting his plowing done at 

 a less price per acre. One man does more plowing in a very 



