FARM EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRACTOR. 
29 
Taijlk XVIII. — Comparison of tractors of different, sizes, which have been used for two 
seasons on farms in North Dakota and other States west of the Mississipjn River. 
In the State of North Dakota. 
Item of comparison. 
Number of tractors reported 
Average drawbar rating of engines horsepower.. 
Cost of engine dollars. . 
Cost of special equipment .do 
Life of tractor (estimated) : years- . 
Used per year days . . 
Time spent in the field per day hours., 
Time lost in the field per day do.... 
Average size of farms acres. 
Horses now kept: 
Number , 
Value dollars. , 
Fuel used in engines: 
Gasoline per cent. , 
Kerosene do. . . 
Motor spirits do 
Cost of repairs required: 
First season dollars. 
Second season do. . . 
Owners stating that tractor is a good invest- 
ment per cent. 
Reporting night work do. . . 
Average nights used by men reporting night work. . 
Owners doing custom work per cent. 
Men doing custom work who find it profitable, 
per cent 
Drawbar rating of engine (horsepower). 
Less 
than 15. 
20 
11.6 
2,010.10 
457. OS 
6.2 
57.1 
12.4 
2.7 
622.2 
10.4 
1,834.72 
66.7 
33.3 
30.64 
75.85 
13.3 

70.6 
40.0 
15 to 19. 
34 
15.0 
1,928.92 
557. 30 
7.0 
88.3 
13.4 
2.3 
613.9 
9.2 
1,381.78 
20.6 
79.4 

33.58 
84.71 
39.1 
18.2 
22.0 
75.8 
70.8 
20 to 25. 
105 
21.2 
2,3(50.41 
714. 72 
6.4 
85.1 
12.9 
2.1 
792.6 
11.3 
1,883.80 
67.5 
28.9 
3.6 
44.63 
103. 10 
30.8 
17.1 
16.4 
65.4 
48.2 
26 to 30. 
30.0 
2,902.05 
836. 56 
6.6 
85.9 
13.0 
2.0 
995.2 
13.6 
2, 259. 54 
45.6 
5.0 
52.67 
122.25 
38.0 
16.9 
22.7 
73.7 
63.9 
40 and 
over. 
21 
40.7 
3, 153. 25 
826. 95 
5.0 
61.1 
12.7 
2.4 
1, 156. 
17.3 
2,706.57 
92.9 
7.1 

105. 59 
102. 32 
18.7 
5.6 
6.0 
61.9 
38.5 
In All States West of the Mississippi River except North Dakota. 
Number of tractors reported 60 73 153 107 41 
Average drawbar rating of engines horsepower 10.8 15.1 21.7 30.0 40.4 
Cost of engine dollars.. 1,654 1,820 2,356 2,876 3,616 
Cost of special equipment do.... 281.35 461.05 600.61 763.56 719.23 
Life of tractor (estimated) years.. 8.9 9.1 8.1 7.2 6.8 
Used per year ^days.. 75.4 88.9 83.6 86.3 122.9 
Time spent in the field per dav hours.. 11.1 11.6 12.2 11.7 11.5 
Time lost in the field per dav do.... 1.5 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.9 
Average size of farms acres.. 397 563 576 875 1,246 
Horses now kept: 
Number 7.9 9.9 8.9 10.8 13.5 
Value dollars.. 1,147.02 1,540.54 1,420.10 1,758.42 2,242.50 
Fuel used in engines: 
Gasoline percent.. 69.8 12.3 58.4 57.3 88.2 
Kerosene do 30.2 86.2 40.0 41.7 5.9 
Motor spirits do.... 1.5 1.6 1.0 5.9 
Cost of repairs required: 
Firstseason dollars.. 23.36 13.92 35.54 41.34 97.54 
Second season do.... 40.01 33.05 93.25 75.88 207.68 
Owners stating that tractor is a good invest- 
ment percent.. 47.0 64.8 43.9 43.9 62.5 
Reporting night work do.... 6.5 17.5 19.0 17.2 45.5 
Average nisrhts used bv men reporting night work 8.3 20.7 28.2 36.8 54.1 
Owners doing custom work per cent. . 56. 1 72. 9 74. 1 75. 7 80. 
Men doing custom work who find it profitable, 
percent 75.0 78.3 66.3 54.3 67.9 
It will be noticed that the 15-horsepower tractors have the lowest 
repair charges, those for the 40-horsepower tractors being more than 
seven times as great as for the 15-horsepower outfits. A larger per- 
centage of owners of 15-horsepower tractors than of any other size 
report that the tractor is a good investment. The next largest per- 
centage of favorable reports is from the 40-horsepower class, while 
the percentage of favorable reports from the intermediate classes is 
considerably below those for the 15 and 40 horsepower groups. 
