THE TRACTION-ENGINE 



day. Most of the work of steam cultiva- 

 tion is done by contract; the ordinary 

 price charged for breaking up virgin 

 land is $3.50 per acre, or $4.35 for plow- 

 ing, disking and seeding. Naturally, the 

 outlay for repairs depends largely on the 

 skill of the engineer, and the care which 

 he takes of his engine. In the Northwest 

 there are from five to six months in the 

 year during which steam cultivation can 

 be profitably employed, and the maxi- 

 mum amount of work which such an out- 

 fit as that just mentioned could do, in a 

 favorable season, would be about 1500 

 acres. Traction-engines intended for 

 steam plowing and thrashing are usually 

 built more strongly than the ordinary 

 traction-engine, both as regards the 

 gearing and the boiler. Steam traction- 

 engines for plowing usually have a 

 capacity of from 25 to 40 horse-power, 

 and new land is generally plowed to a 

 267 



