THE IKRIGATION AGE. 



77 



TRACTION PLOWING. 



Better farming requires modern implements and 

 rational methods. 



Modern farm implements are as superior in me- 

 chanism and results to those used by our grandfathers 

 as the automobile is to the ox-cart as a vehicle. 



Probably no other modern farm implement is 

 gaining more popularity than the engine plow. 



Because it has been successfully proven that a 

 good engine plow expedites the farmer's work and 

 very materially lessens the cost of plowing. This 

 means more profit to the farmer, and he is not slow 

 in taking advantage of this fact. 



Cost of Plowing with Horses. 



Accurate records show that to maintain an aver- 

 age work horse requires almost $80.00 per year. This 

 includes feed, bedding, harness, halters, shoeing, etc. 

 Adding $10.00 for depreciation, the total annual cost 

 per horse is $90.00. 



The same records referred to above show that the 

 ordinary farm 

 horse averages 

 only about three 

 hours' work per 

 day throughout 

 the working year 

 of 313 days, in 

 ispite of the fact 

 that he is a con- 

 stant care and ex- 

 pense, whether 

 profitably employ- 

 ed or not. 



Figured i n 

 dollars and cents, 

 the power furnish- 

 ed by one horse 

 costs at least 91-3 

 cents per hour. The 

 power furnished by 

 three horses for ten 

 hours creates an 

 expense of $2.80, or about $1.90 per acre for plowing. 



On farms of any considerable size, the figure will 

 be even higher, because it is necessary to have addi- 

 tional horses in order to keep a given number in the 

 field. 



Engine Plowing Cheaper. 



Data carefully compiled by competent authority 

 in regard to the cost of engine power for plowing 

 shows the average expense for all sections of the 

 country to be about $1.40 per acre for both steam and 

 oil traction. 



This includes depreciation, interest on investment, 

 repairs, labor, fuel and all other items of expense ordi- 

 narily incurred. 



The very large steam outfits, under favorable 

 conditions often bring the plowing expenses down to 

 less than $1.00 per acre, but this is the exception rather 

 than the rule. 



Other Advantages- 



Probably one of the greatest advantages of engine 

 plowing is being able to do the right thing at the right 

 time. 



If land is plowed when in the best condition, bet- 



A 14 Bottom Engine Plow at Work. 



ter crops will be harvested and the gain produced will 

 often cover the cost of a traction plowing outfit in one 

 or two seasons. 



If it is necessary to rush the work, one can change 

 crews and keep the engine outfit running day and 

 night. Horses will not stand such hard work. 



In addition, the work is uniform, which is not 

 ordinarily true of that clone by several horse-drawn 

 plows. This means a great deal in the preparation of 

 a good seed-bed which is essential to the production of 

 big yields. 



Quantity and Quality of Work. 



An engine plow of the better class, properly ad- 

 justed, will do just as good work as any kind of plow 

 and sometimes better. For breaking, backsetting, 

 stubble plowing or for work in difficult soils, the 

 engine plow gives perfect satisfaction, provided, of 

 course, the right style of bottom is used. The better 

 manufacturers provide these in sufficient variety to 

 meet 1 all soil conditions. 



In weedy or 

 stone ground, the 

 good engine plow 

 is unexcelled for 

 fine quality o f 

 work. The covered 

 frame runs so close 

 to the ground that 

 it breaks down all 

 weeds so that they 

 are completely cov- 

 ered without the 

 use of chains ex- 

 cept on the front 

 plow. 



The flexibility 

 of the engine plow 

 results in most ex- 

 cellent work in 

 stony ground and 

 does not suffer so 

 much on account 



of breakage of shares as is ordinarily experienced with 

 other styles of plows. This is due to the fact that any 

 of the bottoms automatically jump over solid obstruc- 

 tions when encountering them. 



Size of Plow to Buy, 



Sod so tough that a 45-brake horse-power (22 

 tractive horse-power) gasoline or kerosene engine 

 could not pull four 14-inch breaker bottoms through 

 it has not been found. In many cases an engine of 

 this power has pulled eight 14-inch breaker bottoms 

 successfully. 



Under average conditions, six 14-inch boldboard 

 plows make a suitable load for breaking and eight 

 for stubble plowing. 



A noted experiment station authority says : 



"On a great many one hundred and sixty acre 

 farms the traction outfit will be found profitable for 

 plowing. On larger farms, it is an undoubted suc- 

 cess. There is no question but that the engine plow- 

 ing outfit has come to stay, and when properly 

 handled, greatly reduces the cost of turning the soil." 



In short, the engine plow does the highest grade 

 of work at the most economical figure. 



