COST OF USING POWER ON WHEAT FARMS IN OREGON oe 
The average acreage per farm was considerably larger on farms 
where tractors were owned, but the type of farming was similar and 
the division of the acreage as between grain crops, summer fallow, 
pasture, and waste land was in about the same proportion on both 
tractor and. nontractor farms. Some tractor work was hired on 8 
nontractor farms in 1920; on 7 nontractor farms in 1921; and on 14 
nontractor farms in 1922. More than one tractor per farm was owned 
on 4 farms in 1920 and 1922, and on 5 farms in 1921. 
During the three years, a total of 310 records were obtained on 
the cost and operation of combines. Combines were owned on 81 
per cent of the tractor farms, and on 65 per cent of the nontractor 
farms. Over this period, the work of combine harvesting on 8 per 
cent of the tractor farms, and on 19 per cent of the nontractor 
farms, was either all or partially hired. On only one farm was more 
than one combine owned. The harvesting and threshing work was 
all, or partially, done with the header and stationary thresher on 6 
per cent of the tractor farms, and on 10 per cent of the nontractor 
farms. 
The number of work stock on tractor farms in 1920 and 1922 
averaged 2.7 less per farm, and in 1921, about 2 less per farm than 
on nontractor farms. During this time, on tractor farms, the number 
of colts to the number of work stock was in the proportion of about 
1 to 3.8. On nontractor farms the ratio was about 1 to 4.2. Colts 
were found on 70 per cent of the tractor farms and on 78 per cent 
of the nontractor farms. On tractor farms the number of farmers 
owning no colts to the number owning colts was in the ratio of 1 to 
2.4. On nontractor farms the ratio was 1 to 3.5. 
The number of tractor and nontractor farms included in the tables 
which follow depend upon the data to be shown. Certain farms have 
been omitted from some of the tables because of incomplete data 
or other irregularities which render them incomparable with other 
farms included in the study. . 
SIZE OF TRACTORS 
Because of the large tractors capable of drawing several plows 
and which, in some instances, did not draw a full load, tractors have 
been classified on a drawbar horsepower basis, instead of on the 
basis of number of plows drawn. ‘Tractors that were not used for 
some drawbar work were not included in these tabulations. A ma- 
jority of all tractors except the 10-horsepower size, were of the 
crawler type and were of the larger, heavier sizes. The sizes of 
tractors used are shown in Table 2. 
TABLE 2.—Size of tractors, 1920-1922 
. Tractors Percentage of total tractors 
Size (drawbar horsepower rating) eS Le | a a ee 
1920 1921 1922 1920 | 1921 1922 
Number | Number | Number | Per cent | Per cent | Per cent 
iC) eee eer ra aes Soins Pinhead nee te ers gS 9 10 6 21 22 15 
PAY are eet EE = ol ma Rn alee fe 5 6 6 ile 13 15 
Feige ENS RR is Sede CS PE gi a ee EL 4 3 POET R 10 7 7 
A) See es eaten eo ea RIG ae SS 15 15 15 36 33 38 
Ee rs acct re ef re gs hae 9 Bl 10 21 25 25 
MGtaly set esto. ets ae se! See 42 45 40 100 100 100 
