10 BULLETIN- 1*74;, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



latter number, or 400, represents the number of present users who 

 report unfavorably after one season of experience. If to this be 

 added the 400 who have discontinued the use of the tractor in 

 Montana, there appear to be 800 out of 1,017 who hold unfavorable 

 opinions, or about 80 per cent. 



In analyzing the reports of users it early became apparent that 

 opinions and estimates furnished by men who had used a tractor for 

 only one season could not be accepted as representing average results, 

 as their answers invariably gave more favorable averages than did 

 those from men who had had experiences of two or more seasons. 

 This is partly due in all probability to the fact that their machines 

 were of better quality than those of previous years, but the differences 

 between the averages are far greater than those existing between the 

 tractors sold early in 1913 and those sold one year previous. The 

 principal reason for these favorable answers is doubtless a natural 

 enthusiasm resulting from the acquisition of new and interesting 

 machines, of which great achievements are expected, but which 

 have not been used for a sufficient time to demonstrate their actual 

 value. The experience gained by the end of the second season, 

 with the novelty gone, the outfit showing the effect of wear and not 

 running so satisfactorily as when new, and the probability of more 

 or less repairing having been necessary, makes the owner better 

 qualified to express an opinion as to the tractor's actual value. 



The tractor's efficiency decreases with use, on account of wear. 

 The reports show, however, that it is during the first year of its use, 

 when it should be rendering its maximum amount of service and giv- 

 ing a minimum amount of trouble, that the largest percentage of men 

 change their opinions of the tractor from favorable to unfavorable. 

 It is a reasonable supposition that every purchaser of a tractor 

 believes he is making a good investment at the time of purchase. 

 The data show that after one season's use only 62 per cent retain this 

 opinion, so that it would seem that the results were such as to cause 

 38 per cent to change their opinion on this point after one year. 

 After two seasons' use more than 57 per cent of present tractor users 

 believe the tractor is a poor investment, and with longer experience 

 this percentage increases. 



REPORTS OF SATISFIED AND DISSATISFIED OWNERS. 



In order to ascertain whether the owners who expresssed favorable 

 opinions regarding the tractor were actually obtaining better results 

 than those holding opposite views, tabulations were made of the data 

 furnished by these two classes of men, and the averages obtained are 

 shown in Tables IV to VIII, inclusive. 



The data compiled from reports of tractor owners shown in Tables 

 IV to VIII are separately given for North Dakota and for all other 



