Correspondence.
Page 13
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Motor for Farm Work.
Sir :—Seeing the good work you do in trying to bring the motor into farm work by publishing particulars of its work, may 1, as one interested, open a discussion on it? The chief advantage to me seems to be putting the the motor to the heaviest work only, because there are lots of jobs done on large farms which only take a light horse to do, such as horse-hoeing, raking hay and corn, and loading the same. It is rather a large and awkward load to bring out of a field if it weighs above 15 or ificwt., and this is a lot more than the average weight drawn by a farm-horse. The self-binder is also rather too light a load to be drawn at a profit by an expensive motor, as is the grass-cutter and the harrows in seed-time.
Mr. S. F. Edge says, if 1 remember right, there will be no horses required for traction work in ten years. Now, this is far from the truth from a farmer's point of view, because there are so many jobs on a farm which require such large variations in power, irrespective of the size of the farm. With regard to motor ploughing, if used in a field it can never give the finish to the work that horses and men do, because it is rather too clumsy to turn at the ends of the Reid with a three-furrow plough, and if you happen to pull the plough too much forward you can't well pull it back into the proper position.
Could not an engine be made which, in farmers' language, may be termed a cross between an ordinary oil engine and a petrol engine, to be worked by paraffin and tube ignition, and run at about 300 revolutions per minute, with about a five-inch bore and six-inch stroke, developing, say, three horse-power and weighing about 16 stones (two cwt.)? It could then be placed on Any ordinary double-furrow plough, and have a chain drive, with small wheel on the axle, so that with a direct drive it would travel about four or five miles per hour. If another wheel were fitted to a self-binder or grass-cutter it could be taken off the plough and fitted on to it during the harvest season. If fitted on to an ordinary plough 1 don't see why it should not also do all the chaff-cutting and grinding on the average English farm of 200 or 300 acres. The agricultural tractor, as made at present, will only do for the largest farms, and will be far too large for the average farmer. Of course, it would suit, perhaps, for hiring-out purposes. Some people will say that an engine running at 300 revolutions per minute, which means with a direct drive from a small wheel on the crank axle to the road wheel, to travel about four or five miles per hour, and be of three horsepower, would be far too small for useful work ; but if it did the work that two or three horses could do it would be far better to work the ordinary machinery now on the farm, whereas with the ivel or Scott tractor, to get full work out of them, you have to buy new machinery to be worked by them.—Yours faithfully,
February 23rd, 1906. "LEEDS."
Motor Trade with Canada.
Sir :— I have been asked by the A.C.G.B.I. to read a paper before them, on March ist, entitled "Motor Trade with Canada." They have asked me to do this because the first motor exhibitions in Canada are soon to be held—one in Toronto, March 31st to April 7th, and one in Montreal, April 21st to April 28th. 1 have been requested by the Canadian people interested in these shows to point out the opportunities for opening up a trade in Canada for British cars. Acting as commissioner for the British manufacturers, 1 expect to sail, with the cars, from Liverpool on the " Lake Manitoba " on Tuesday, March 13th.
Briefly, the reasons why a good trade with Canada can. be opened up in motorcars are these :—
First; about 3,000 American cars have been sold in Canada last year, and are giving so much trouble to their present owners that they are desirous of getting rid of them, and want to " go in for motoring." The British cars will suit them, and are admitted into Canada at a third less tariff than those of any other country, including the United States. As the duty is 35 per cent., this is, roughly speaking, a preference of 12 per cent. in favour of British cars. Second; the great and increasing prosperity of Canada makes Canadians want good motorcars and enables them to pay for them. The British cars for these shows will be admitted duty free, and the duty need not be paid unless the cars are sold. I am assured, however, that the cars will be sold, as people from all over Canada will attend these shows, and will be anxious to take up agencies for the sale of them in the future. I hope that you will give the wide publicity to these facts which a journal of your great circulation can do, and thereby assist the manufacturers of British motorcars to grasp the right hand of fellowship that Canada is holding forth to them in her Preferential Tariff. Further information to those interested, and entry forms, will be furnished on application to me at the address below, or to me at 272, Birkbeck Chambers, Holborn, W.C.
Yours faithfully, . E. H. TuaNatm.1... Northfield, Sawbridgeworth, Herts, February 23rd, 1906,
The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only, and type-written by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no re. sPonsibility for the views expressed is accepted.