POWER ON THE FAEM 



395 



Lighter kinds of work are : Shelling corn, grinding 

 grain, grinding tools, sawing wood, operating lighting 

 systems, pumping water, running milking machines, wash- 

 ing clothes, churning butter, running cream separators and 

 vacuum cleaners. 



Operation of Gas Engines. Only a careful and experi- 

 enced operator can handle a tractor or other gas engine prop- 

 erly. Experience should be gained under a good instructor 

 for a few days. Careful preparation is important. Instruc- 



FIG. 248. Baling hay with tractor to drive the baler. (International Har- 

 vester Co.) 



tion books and trouble charts should be read a number of 

 times until the operator becomes expert. 



Ignorant, careless workmen and boys should not be 

 trusted with such engines without thorough training. One 

 of the objections to owning a tractor is the inability to find a 

 competent operator. This is the chief cause of failure 

 in cases where tractors have proved to be unprofitable. 



Four Essentials in Operation. The four most important 

 requirements in the successful operation of a gas engine are: 

 (1) Proper mixture of the gas with air; (2) perfect compres- 

 sion by the piston; (3) ample spark (called ignition); (4) 

 correct valve action. 



The mixture of gas and air is obtained through a carbu- 



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