FARM EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRACTOR. 37 



DISPLACEMENT OF HORSES BY TRACTORS. ' 



It is difficult to determine to just what extent the tractor has 

 influenced the use of horses on the farm, on account of the other 

 influencing factors in the shape of automobiles, motorcycles, auto- 

 trucks, and binder engines, all of which are doing work formerly 

 done by horses. In spite of all these competitors the farm horse has 

 increased considerably in numbers and value during the past few 

 years. 



The United States Census report shows that in 1900 there were 

 11,513,649 horses and mules on farms located in States west of the 

 Mississippi River, while the Bureau of Statistics of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture states that on January 1, 1914, they 

 numbered 14,287,000, a numerical gain of 2,773,351, or 24.1 per cent 

 in 14 years. 



During the same period the increase in the valuation of these 

 animals was much greater, viz, from $493,454,902 to $1,427,074,000, 

 or 189.2 per cent; but here again there were numerous influencing 

 factors, the principal ones probably being a heavy export demand 

 and the breeding of horses of a far better quality. 



The gains mentioned occurred while the number of gas tractors 

 was increasing from less than 100 to perhaps 13,000. 



A comparison of the increase in the number of farm horses and 

 of tilled acres in the States west of the Mississippi River would be 

 desirable, but accurate figures on the increase in tilled acres are not 

 available, and, furthermore, improvements in farm implements 

 and in the management of farms have tended to increase the acreage 

 tilled per horse. 



A study of the conditions existing on farms where tractors have 

 been introduced is of especial interest in this connection. The 

 result of such a study is shown in Table XXII. 



The data contained in this table were obtained by personally visit- 

 ing the tractor owners. The records for the farms represented were 

 selected without reference to the number of horses displaced, the 

 only point which was considered in selecting them being to ascertain 

 whether the information furnished was complete. Therefore, the fact 

 that of the number thus selected 39 belonged in the group where 

 horses were displaced by the tractor and 43 in the group where no 

 horses were displaced by the tractor would seem to be a rather reliable 

 indication that in about 50 per cent of the cases the tractor does not 

 actually displace horses on farms where it is introduced. 



These farms average approximately 900 acres in size and should 

 therefore provide a large amount of work for the power employed, 

 whatever its kind. They are mostly of the grain type, exceptionally 

 well adapted for the use of a tractor. The average age of the tractors 



