TRACTION FARMING IN THE CORN BELT 271 



Kerosene for fuel costs less than feed. It can be had at all 

 seasons with little variation in price, since the oil companies 

 are untiringly refining great quantities of it as a by-product 

 of gasoline. Since the average corn belt farmer is close to some 

 town, he can make a quick trip and return with enough fuel 

 to last two weeks. Hay and grain are produced but once a 

 year and must be stored. This gradually adds to the cost 

 and price of feed which is always highest when horses require 

 the most i. e. t in the spring and early summer. Economy 

 requires a farmer to store a year's food supply for his horses 

 out of every crop. 



In southeastern Minnesota, according to Government figures, 

 the horses on a number of diversified farms each consumed 

 5213 pounds of grain and 7073 Ibs. of hay annually during the 

 years from 1905 to 1907. Supposing corn and oats to have 

 been fed in equal quantity by weight, and assuming prices of 

 50 cents for corn, 30 cents for oats, and $8 a ton for hay, 

 one horse's feed for a year would cost $73.89. These horses 

 averaged 948 hours of work of all kinds per year, hence each 

 ate 5.5 Ibs. of grain and 7.46 Ibs. of hay, costing 7.8 cents for 

 every hour spent in harness. For 1000 hours of hard work a 

 tractor equivalent to fifteen horses would consume about 3000 

 gallons of fuel. Kerosene may be had at 3 to 3j cents at the 

 refineries, and at the country towns in barrels for 5 J to 7 cents. 

 At the latter figure, 3000 gallons would cost $210 and the 

 tractor's fuel would cost less than three times as much as one 

 horse's feed. Even if we add $75 a year for lubricants and 

 minor items, the difference is enormous. 



In these days of high lumber prices, the storage of horses 

 and feed is a severe problem. From figures collected by the 

 writer on about thirty medium-sized Ohio farms, it appears 

 that 750 cubic feet of barn room are required per work horse, 

 not counting storage space, alleys, etc. Figuring on equal 

 weights of oats and shelled corn, the 5213 pounds of grain 



