352 AMERICAN 
HOMES AND 
GARDENS July, 1913 
poi 2 
four gallons of alcohol are the equivalent of three gallons 
of gasoline. Since alcohol does not carburet as readily 
as gasoline, it affords more difficulty in starting. A fair 
estimate is, that the average consumption of gasoline per 
horse-power per hour is about one sixth or one seventh 
gallon, with a minimum of one tenth gallon. 
Most of the dealers’ catalogues say that the internal com- 
bustion engines are regularly fitted for gasoline, naphtha, 
benzine or distillate, but that when so ordered they can be 
equipped to operate on alcohol, gas or kerosene. If the 
purchaser specifies no preference he will in most cases re- 
ceive a gasoline engine. 
As between steam and gasoline for the farm power plant, 
all the advantages are with the latter, and steam is rarely 
if ever considered now. ‘The gasoline engine is always 
ready to start, and at the end of the run it wastes no partly 
used fuel. It does not store up large supplies of energy 
which might suddenly be released so as to cause an explo- 
sion. If its supply tank is buried underground outside the 
buildings, as it properly should be, there is no addition 
to the fire risk from that quarter. Larger engines are 
naturally required for irrigation than for general farm 
purposes, but even a three to ten horse-power gas engine 
can do most effective work in furnishing water for a small 
field. A five horse-power engine is capable of raising 500 
gallons of water per minute from a depth of 20 feet. In 
filling the silo, 75 tons of corn fodder will be handled in 
one working day by an engine of 12 to 15 horse-power on 
a fuel allowance of 10 to 12 gallons. A 30-bushel load of 
ear corn can be transferred into its car or granary in three 
to six minutes by the means of a two horse-power engine. 
The little portable farm gasoline engines are entitled to 
high rank among the benefits given to mankind. ‘They 
have helped out many small farmers who could never have 
afforded large stationary plants, and for the suburban resi- 
dent who does not make farming his chief business but who 
is still eager to develop his place as extensively as possible, 
these portable outfits have many attractions. With a belt 
drive, they are ready to work anywhere indoors or out 
and they are entirely capable of undertaking many of the 
jobs which if done by hand would require more men and 
more money for expenses. 
The advocates of electricity as the proper form of power 
for country estates, will always introduce their argument 
with the assertion that windmills, water wheels, steam en- 
gines and hot air engines complicate the operation of farm- 
ing implements, because of the need for shafting, pulleys, 
belts and other transmission machinery, and that such 
power can only be used in restricted areas near the point 
where the power is generated. But they do not proceed 
far with their argument before they pay homage to the 
gasoline engine. ‘Their use for it is to drive their dynamos. 
Water power, windmills, steam engines and turbines may be 
used to drive the generators, but the gasoline engine is 
obviously the most generally adaptable and easily obtainable. 
The arguments for electricity on the farm are its safety, 
flexibility in operation, reliability and cleanliness. In the 
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The isolated power plant should be designed to form a pleasing unit in the arrangement of the grouping of outbuildings 
cA 
matter of cost, the advantage is more than likely to be with 
the gasoline engine, but all things considered the electrical 
outfit appears to be much more mobile and versatile. But if 
the gasoline engine will do all that is necessary to be done, 
and where it can be done most conveniently, it is clearly un- 
necessary to transform its power into electrical energy and 
let it labor in that form. The question of portability is an 
open one. ‘There are portable electrical outfits that can 
travel about on trucks, but they have to be started by the 
gasoline engine. 
In the house electricity is the thing by all means. It 
will furnish light and do many little odd jobs that gasoline 
cannot attempt, and it is beyond dispute safer and cleaner. 
There are few if any forms of ordinary farm work that 
the electric motor will not do efhciently. Besides attending to 
all the simpler duties, like running the cream separator, churn, 
corn sheller, farming mill, circular saw, feed grinder, grind- 
stone and washing machine, it may apply for employment 
in the dairy and used readily with the vacuum milking 
machine as an assistant, and with its help the vacuum clean- 
ing system may be applied direct to the cows themselves. 
All the loose hair and dirt is drawn into the dust collector 
and removed. ‘The gasoline engine may, it is true, be 
assigned to these same tasks, but the electric equipment 
appears to be more compact and practical, and there is 
certainly an advantage in being able to keep the gasoline 
engine out of the barn because of the fire risk, if for no 
other reason. 
In the dairy, electric motors take little power to run the 
separator and may be mounted on the floor, wall or ceiling 
near the separator and connected to it by a transmission 
belt. ‘They can be adapted readily to use with rotary 
churns and butter workers, or with barrel and factory types 
of churns driving either through gears or by belt con- 
nections. 
The total power capacity of the electrical engine plant 
chosen for the country place should in every instance be 
greater than the total amount that might be required at 
any one time. One authority advises that the size selected 
should depend to some extent on the point whether all 
the power for labor and lighting is to be taken from the 
storage batteries while the engine is not running, or whether 
the heaviest load is to be taken from the engine direct and 
the battery only used as a reserve for the hours when the 
engine is idle; or whether the current will be taken from 
both the generator and battery during the time of the 
heaviest load. 
Inside the farmhouse, there are almost as many things 
for the electric current to do as out-of-doors or in the barn 
or dairy. First, it will supply the lights. ‘Then, it will run 
the washing machine, the sewing machine, the ice cream 
freezer, the vacuum cleaner, the coffee grinder, the meat 
grinder, the bread mixer, and so on indefinitely. The electric 
iron and toaster, the complete cooking and baking outfits, 
water heaters and heating pads, and even the electric shaving 
mug and cigar lighter, carry its functions from the practical 
and useful into that of the merely convenient and luxurious. 
