PERFORMANCE OF STEAM TRACTORS 



69 



for a part of the season of 1908. For the purpose of comparison, two columns 

 are shown for Canada. The first is from direct reports from operators. In the 

 second column averages are taken from the annual traction-plowing numbers 

 of the Canadian Thresherman and Farmer, from 1905 to 1909, inclusive, and 

 represent 214 letters of steam plowmen hi answer to that journal's annual 

 circular letters on this subject. A small percentage of the letters are dupli- 

 cated that is, they are from the same operator hi different years and 

 several correspondents reporting under column 1 are also found under column 

 2. The average of coal used given in column 2 is from 150 operators, many 

 using either wood or straw or not reporting at all. Those using wood report 

 about two cords a day as an average. The average number of barrels of water 

 used by Canadian operators apparently varies greatly. However, a difference 

 in standards may explain the variation. If the 72.8 barrels in column 1 were 

 of 31.5 imperial gallons of 10 pounds each, and the 57.1 barrels in column 2 

 were of 42 imperial gallons, the water used per pound of coal would be 7.21 and 

 7.82 pounds, respectively. It is difficult otherwise to account for such a wide 

 variation. 



COST OF PLOWING WITH STEAM ENGINES 



Data in reference to steam-plowing outfits operated in California, in the 

 Southwestern and the Northwestern sections of the United States, and in 

 Canada. 



1 Brake horsepower. Nominal or tractive rating about 60 horsepower. 



2 Less than one-fifth of the outfits reported in the Southwest use moldboard 

 plows. These average 9.18 bottoms, cutting 10.7 feet, and cost $561 each. 

 From 10 to 20 disk plows would be used to cut the average of 13.2 feet reported. 

 These sets average $428 in price. The figures hi the table are for the average 

 of both types. 



* "Miles a day" is miles traveled with plows in the ground, as figured from 

 the daily acreage and the average width of the furrow. The distance traveled 

 in turning, etc., is not included. 



