FAEM EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRACTOR. 9 
vicinity?" there were 876 who answered "no" and 891 who answered 
"yes." Of those answering this question, 748 had used their tractor 
for only one season. The answers of the men who had used the 
tractor through two or more seasons show 592 negative and 427 
affirmative replies. Practically all of the men from whom replies 
were received were using tractors at the end of 1913, and those who 
had previously tried them but had discontinued their use are not, 
therefore, included. It may safely be assumed that nearly all of the 
latter class would answer the above question in the negative, which 
would more than double the number of men answering "no," as there 
are hundreds of men who have discontinued the use of the tractor 
after a trial. Accurate figures on this point are difficult to secure, 
owing to duplication among the past users of tractors reported, 
but a conservative estimate obtained by using the number reported 
by bankers located in widely separated sections of Montana indicates 
that more than 400 men have discontinued the use of the tractor for 
farm work in that State. The answers of present owners of tractors 
to the above questions are shown in Table III. 
Table III. — Answers of tractor oumers to the question, (i Do you consider the traction 
engine a good investment financially for a fanner in your vicinity? " 
State. 
First season. 
Second 
season. 
Third 
season. 
Fourth 
season. 
Yes. 
No. 
Yes. 
No. 
Yes. 
No. 
Yes. 
No. 
North Dakota 
108 
39 
56 
24 
26 
52 
42 
22 
25 
15 
55 
106 
28 
22 
27 
26 
17 
4 
13 
13 
5 
23 
73 
28 
26 
37 
23 
14 
15 
11 
4 
3 
16 
154 
22 
22 
35 
38 
13 
9 
14 
8 
3 
19 
25 
16 
9 
13 
7 
9 
11 
4 
1 
1 
9 
86 
19 
9 
12 
12 
6 
2 
1 
3 
1 
4 
15 
15 
5 
3 
2 
3 
2 
32 
South Dakota 
14 
5 
Minnesota 
32 
Iowa 
3 
Colorado 
Nebraska , 
3 
Texas 
2 
3 
Other States 
4 
Total 
464 
62.0 
284 
38.0 
250 
42.6 
337 
57.4 
105 
40.4 
155 
59.6 
50 
38.5 
80 
Per cent 
61.5 
Table III shows that the percentage of men who believe that the 
tractor is a poor investment increases with each season's use, until, 
after four years, 61.5 per cent of the owners are of this opinion. 
If the opinions of those who have discontinued the use of the tractor 
could have been included, this percentage would doubtless be in- 
creased to 85, thus approximating the judgment of the bankers. For 
example, 65 per cent of all present tractor owners in Montana have 
had more than one season's experience, and 65 per cent of these answer 
the inquiry in the negative. If 65 per cent of the 950 users reported 
for Montana in Table I, or 617, be taken as the number in that State 
having more than one year's experience, then 65 per cent of the 
