SCOTTISH TRACTOR TRIALS.
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Detailed Report of the Official Agrimotor Tests at Glasgow and Perth:
[By Our Special Commissioner.]
The trials were resumed at Glasgow on Monday of last week, when the tractors which had performed at Edinburgh were present, with the exception of the Hodgson-Ford attachment, which did not appear owing to a big-end haVing been burnt out at the previous .demonstration. The trials were held an 131ackhill Farm, Maryhill, about five miles out from the city. According to the official programme the trials 'began at 9 a.m.-amidst a downpour of rain.
Despite the adverse conditions the drivers stuck pluckily to their work, but it was not long before trouble came. The field has not been plonghed, for over 60 years, as it was used by the military for training artillery, and the ground 3has, in consequence, very heavy. !Traci ors using Scotch or English ploughs; managed to get along nicely, butthe machines with American ploughs found it impossible to proceed. The faults were not due to the tractors, which, despite the slippery condition of the soil and a rather stiff gradient at the headlands, managed to get along very well. The trouble was all in the ploughs, and it was socth evident that the American implements had not the sort of mould board nee'ded for the special conditions.
The Wallis Junior, which did so well at Edinburgh, had to abandon its plough, and because no suitable implement could be got did not go on. The same applies to several other American machines. Very good work was done by the Moline, which was fitted with a British plough. As the day advanced the weather grew -worse, and by noon there was a wild gale of wind and rain which made it almost impossible to proceed.
The spectators were few, and soon became fewer, as the pelting. showers beat down without cessation. When the luncheon interval arrived few of the tractors had made anything like the pro , grass that was accomplished ckithin the same period of time at Edinburgh. Shortly after 12 o'clock the storm was so fierce that most of the drivers ceased working, and several of them protested against continuing. After the Committee of the Highland and Agricultural Society had held a hurried consultation, it was decided to abandon the trials for that day. This decision was received with unanimous approval, and the tractors ceased operations. On Tuesday the trials were resumed under weather conditions showing little improvement on-the previous day. The ground was in a very sodden condition, and in a short time the headland were a quagmire. The experiences of the previous day had shown that everything depended upon the type of plough used, and profiting by this several of the competitors bad secured Scottish pltmighs. which made all the difference•in the work that was done. At the end of the day;on Tuesday, much better progress was reported.
The land over which the tractors went at Glasgow was quite different from that which was ploughed at Edinburgh. The field of 58 acres was of old and very tough pasture. The surf am was in places very rough, and in cutting those ploughs with discs had considerable advantage over the plain coulter.
The ploughing an Monday and Tuesday was in many respects inferior to that done at Edinburgh. The regulation depth of the furrow was about 7 ins., with a width from 10 ins. to 14 ins., and in numerous instances the ploughs were not up to the work set them.
Those tractors using Scottish ploughs had easily the best of it. The American implements proved of little use. . F'rom' the experience of the competitors, it is obvious that the Highland and Agricultural Society would have been wise to have fixed on one or two makes of ploughs, and compelled each teactor to use a. specified make. This would have been. the fairest way, and the point should be kept in mind.
Although the ploughing at Glasgow was not nearly so good as that at Edinburgh, the trials in the west were in many respects more severe than those in the east. The condition of the ground, which was thoroughly saturated, the toughness of the soil, and the inclement weather, imposed a supreme test on the tractors, and out of it they emerged with credit.
Farmers who, thought to see the machines sink in the soft soil were surprised to see them overcoming every ob. stacle, and it was astonishing to observe how rarely slipping occurred. As a trial of tractors, Glasgow gave satisfactory results; it was not the fault of the machines that the ploughing did not reach a very high standard. The conditions prevailing) at Glasgow were eminently suitable for discovering any marked differences between the chain-track and the big spud-studded • c.14 wheel type, hut so far as we could find there was little to choose between them.
The Bullock tractor was in fine triin, having been tuned up after the Edinbarghevents. The adjustments were of a very minor order, but sufficed' to give the Bullock, with its Massey-Harris plough, a better opportunity to perforni satisfactory work. . The Whiting-Bull again did consistent work with a two-furrow plough, cutting to a depth of 6 ins. and a width qf 12 ins. Facility of handling provoked considerable comment.
On the first day the Wallis Junior had to withdraw with its American plough, which did not prove up to the work under the prevailing conditions, but on Tuesday it got to work with a Sellars plough. Therewith, not only did it manage to redeem Monday's mistake, but did excellent work at a, rapidpaec. The Wallis certainly won high praise, although some of the farmers were dubious about.the speed, evidently thinking the tractor was being over:driven.
The Weeks-Dungey was noticeable for steady going. All day it went at its task with a persistence which was distinctly creditable for a. machine of its size. Although the soil was heavy and the going difficult, the Aberdeenshire farmer who drove the model at the trials —which is in constant use on his own farm—hung dourly to his job and ploughed neatly. The Little Samson was one of the hardiest tractors—at least the driver was. He was one of the last to give up on Monday-, and when he got a fresh start on Tuesday he went along very pluckily. The wheels showed an inclination to pick up more soil than was necessary, but apart from this the Samson did well, and was entirely free from mechanical troubles.
The Moline did very fine work MI Mondab mainly because it was fitted with suitable ploughs. On the second day it did even better. At the end of the day few tractors could point to a neater or better finished piece of ploughing.
The• Case was the only three-whecle.d
typo present. It is a heavy machine weighing 45 'cwt., but it never got into trouble with the soil, and there were no signs of sinking. It pulled a two-furrow Begg plough with a separate control, and made a fine job of the ploughing:
There was a stiff grade at the headland, and this 'taxed the power of the 'lighter machines, such as the Wyles and Fowler-Wyles. , However, they were able to breast the grade, and that without the engines showing any tendency to heat
The high-powered four-wheeled tractors, such as the Emerson; Clydesdale, and Alldays _found no trouble with the gradients 'and had ample reserve of power. One point in conneetion with the four-wheel tractors which did not fail to strike the observer was the spuds. The tractors using V-shapeth spuds 0er-tail:Ay appearedto have an advantage over those using the angle-iron type. The latter Mewed signs of cress-cutting the turf when rolling it over .prior to the ploughshare coming to cut it.
The Titan was one of the machines that did specially good work on Tuesday. Farmers had many commendable things to say about it. The same remark applies to the 20 h.p. Mogul which displayed very good qualities, -not only as regards ploughing, but also in respect of keeping up a regular pace, not flurried and free from stoppages.
The Perth Trials.
The concluding series of tractor trials arranged by the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland were held at Perth on Friday and Saturday. All the machines which participated at Glasgow were in evidence with one exception.
When the trials began the weather was dull but dry. Later on the atmospheric conditions underwent a succession of rapid changes. At times it Snow ed, then the sun shone, followed with more mow. The showers were slight, however, and, despite the cold, the conditions generally were much better than those experienced at Glasgow. The trials took place at the farm of Spontswells, Scone, owned by Mr. John Robertson, and there was a very large attendance of spectators throughout the day. The forenoon was spent in ploughing on lea, and the field chosen was one of about 56 acres with medium loam fairly free. Some splendid work was done on the lea field, and only in one or two cases did We notice any tendency to rough work. The ploughing at Perth was very much better than that clone at Glasgow, and the comments of agricUlturists present were full of praise for the effective way in which the soil
was turned over. •
In the afternoon the tractors were shifted on to stubble. One of the stubble fields was quite level and covered with manure, but the others had a' stiff gradient of about 1 in 9 to 1 in 10. The positionson these fields had to be balloted for, -as none could contain all the Machines. Those which went into the manured ground had a comparatively easy task, although there a ere times when the tractors collected rather more dirt than was wanted, There was also a tendency to slipping.
Those set to plough on the gradient had' a harder bit of work, but most of them came through with great credit. This field formed the most 'trying bit of work in the trials, and the way the tractors' stuck to it surprised some and impressed every one of the onlookers. An instance' of this is to be found in the remark made to our representative by a member of the committee who said " What I have seen on this stubble field to-day ha.s done more to give, rne faith in the tractors than anything else I have come aeross." As a whole, the results achieved at Perth were the best yet obtained, and one prominent Scottish farmer remarked that no ploughman could have anything to say against the clam of work done by the tractors.
Amongst the good performances at Perthit is difficult to say that any 'special machines excelled. The work of the Overtime was particularly goad both on the lea and stubble. On the latter it had a specially bad patch to cover, but it made excellent progress uphill, drawing a three-furrow plough and turning over to the depth of nearly 9 ins., which was considered striking on such a gradient. .
048 The Titan tractor, was another which got over the bad grades on the stubble with comparative ease, and ploughed an B in. to 10 in.' furrow with a three. furrow plough. . The Bullock found rile grades on the stubble field very trying, and was frequently held up despite' its chain track. The little Burford did wonderfully on the hill, and went from start to finish without any signs of bother. It was one of the outstanding chain-track type, and its performance was most creditable. The Eros attachment on the Ford did excellently en the stubble, and hauled its tao-furrow plough steadily throughout. 'The G.W. W. tractor went through the morning's work in good style, and turned a dean and attractive furrow. In the afternoon it was set to tackle rather an awkward part of the bill stubble, arid on this it accomplished alinost perfect ploughing. The furrows were 8 ins. deep and finely set up. The 9-18 h.p. Case pulled a threefurrow Sellar plough on the lea with
effective results. In the afternoon it went to the flat stubble with a' two furrow Case plough, and turned over to a depth of 9 ins.' to 10 ins, The Work was specially well done, and although about the first to finish on the stubble the' Case performance would be hard to
beat. • The Bates Steel Mule did impressive work on the lea field, where it pulled along with a consistent regularity that was remarkable. In the afternoon it went over the manured field, and hare it made an excellent job of the soft soil and showed no tendency to dig in. . The Wallis Gullen the lea ploughed at a slower rate than it did at Glasgow or Edinburgh, and made a most effective job, drawing a three-furrow Sellars plongh and turning over to a depth of 7 ins. to 9a ins. br the afternoon it had a patch of stubble on the manurcd ground, where it pulled a Case " Eniear " two-furrow plough, turning furrows 9 ins, deep by 14 ins. wide. When on this field the Wallis had the misfortune to break a magneto spring, but this was duly repaired, after which the tractor was taken on to the bill, where it pulled. the Case two-furrow plough to a depth of -8 ins, which was considered as fine work. The Mann steamer was also one of the machines that added to ite reputation for first-class work, and throughout the day it went on with its allotted task surely and steadily. • 'rho Mogul machines showed the kt/I16 easy and persistent progress as at Glasgow and Edinburgh, and in the afternoon one of these was on the hill stubble and the other on the lower field, each doing satisfactory work. • The little Weeks,Dungey was a noticeable performer on the hill stabble, and got over the gradients with an apparent ease that comaared very favourably with some of its heavier and higher. powered competitors.
The Emerson did fine work on the lea fieldinthe forenoon, and was again using its own type ofplough, with results that Were all'that could be desired. In the afternoon it. went on to the hill stubble and there drew its three-furrow plough, making a splendid furrow of 8 iris, deep and showing wonderful pulling power on the gradients.
The Emsrsen self-Hat arrangement was evidently much approved of by the farmers, and We frequently heard the re
mark ' That's the sort of lift 'plough that is wanted."
On Saturday very much _better conditions were experienced in regard to weather. The day was cold, but dear and sunny, and everyone felt glad of the change. Spectators were much ' More rfumerous, and the last of the trials went off very successfully. In the forenoon the unfiaished Ica ground was tackled, and even finer work was done than on the previous day, and the soil, turned over beautifully. In the afternoon all the maalines went on to stubble On an adjacent farm, where Friday's excellent performances were repeated and its several instances improved on. • The Sellars was the plough that did the best work, and therefore the demand for a Sellars wae keen. One firm sent a motor lorry all the way to Alloway, where the Sellars plough is made, on Monday afternoon, and had. a Sellars plough on the field at midnight ! .The result on Tuesday justified the enterprise, for the tractor did well where befere it had done badly.
Amongst the speetators on Wednesday was Sir John H.. A. Macdonald, the grand old man of motoring in Scotland, who showed keen interest in the display.
Despite his four-score years and more, Sir John faced the bitter blast for most of the forenoon.
Brief Observations.
Neither of the Scottish machines—the Liddie nor the " Caleden "—turned up.
The Scottish farmers are unanimous in agreeing that the trials show signs of great developments since those held at Stirling in 1915, and the mind of the agricultugat is more favourable to mechanical aidsto farming than it was even so recenfly as two years ago.
One very striking feature of the trials was the absence ofmechanical troubles.
The weather at Perth on the first day was full of variety—but bad variety ! It was a little better than Glasgow, though, -and the ground was in good condition.
The general opinion seems to be all in favour of the one-man outfit, and some of the machines lost favour owing to the need for too much labour on them.
The arrangements made by the Ffighland Society were again excellent, and their committee spared no pains in , helping the competitors.
The fuel consumption test was not carried out owing to the numerous difficulties in the way. Certain contestants were asked to provide facilities for a test, and a few complied, but in the majority of cases it was not insisted upon.
The hill stubble at Perth was the severest test of the tractors yet imposed, and most of them won through with credit.
The ploughing on Friday was almost wholly first-class, and only in very few instances could exception be taken to the work done, especially on the stubble field.
A trial of the Once-Over Tiller was made with the Samson tractor on the lea, but the committee decided that the ground was not suited for the implement. They would like to see it at work on a clean field for spring sowing.
Mr. Rowan, of Gaston, Williams and Wiginore, was a most active represents-. tive, and he had the satisfaction of seeing the G.W.W. doing excellent work, and particularly on the hill.
Mr. Burford never seemed to slack off all day, and wherever the iiturdy tractor associated with his name was he could be seen in close attendance giving ready assistance when necessary.
Mr. F. A. Mawhinney, of J. B. Ferguson andCo., reports himself as satisfied with the work of the Case.
It was remarkable that at Perth farmers were present-not only from all parts of Scotland but from far off Lincoln, Sussex, and other English districts.
Mr. Turner-Smith was indefatigable in his attention to the many interested in the Wallis, and his -unfailing courtesy was not tbe least pleasant feature of his relations with committee and public.
Mr. F. S. Bennett, with his "bigstick," was another prominent figure. Since the Glasgow trials he has had a. cleaning knife fitted to the inside of the slew-grip wheels, and it is giving the utmost satisfaction.