THE TRACTOR TRIALS' AT NAGPUR.
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The Suitability of the Competing Machines for Use in India.
By J. G. Allen, Principal of the Agricultural College at Nagpur.
ALTHOUGH it was anticipated that a number of machines -would take part in the agricultural trials at Nagpur, which were held towards the end of February, only five tractors competed, these being the Fiat, Lauson, Fordson, Austin and Cletrak.
The trial was, in a sense, preliminary, and is bound to be followed by Others on a much larger scale at a not far distant date. The next trial...will, without doubt, -be of longer duration, and will possibly attract more entrants, both in regard to the use of tractors on black cotton soil and on -sails of easier character.
The soils on which the .trials were held varied between a medium black to a stiff -hard-ha-led black cotton, and the tests were in consequence of a severe type, particularly in the case of the latter soil. These conditiens do not hold good all over India, though they are common in large tracks of the Deccan. The tractors which failed to put pp -a, good performance working on the soils mentioned may still be useful on other soils, and of value on black cotton soil under less trying conditions—in other words, it should not -be assumed that the trials give adefinite answer as to the most suitable type of tractor for use in India.
For work on stiff, hard soil in India between the months of January and June it would appear that a tractor of what is termed the mediums class, or even heavier class, is essential, and that during the season lighter tractors would be restricted in use to certain' _ soil, types and depths of ploughing when using -a 2-3 furrow plough. Though the lighter tractors did reasonably -well on medium soil, they barely ploughed to the depth required, which was.saven to eight inches, and in the heavier and harder soils they failed as a class to cope with the conditions. Most agricultural tractors have a reserve power, and in these trials it was brought into use, and certainly without this reserve power none of them would have stcod the strain for long. The Fiat and Lauson were in a class to themselves, and in the actual trials the Fiat .showed up -very well. It has a well-finished engine, and, in my 'opinion, was the best-finished. of all tractors competing. The Lamson. has, I think, more reserve power. It took the second position because it was not so well handled, and the ploughs it was drawing were not so suited to the soil conditions, neither were they so well .adjuated. It drew three furrows at a slower rate per mile as against two furrows by the Fiat at a slightly quicker speed. • In the acre test it was first, but the depth and quality of its ploughing were of a poorer grade. As to the suitability of each Of these machines for working in India, there was very little to choose between them. So far as belt work was concerned the Fiat was, perhaps, more easily handled., and ruiSie adaptable.
Originally the light tractors were placed in the same class, but as a result,of their inability to tackle the third test, the -judges decided to judge theirwork prineipally on the first and second tests. The Fordson was the best handled, and . grouping tests one and two together, was on the whole ploughing on slightly stiffer plots.
In the first test the Austin was on distinctly lighter soil, whilst the Fordson was working on a medium black cotton. In the second test the Fordson had rather the easier plot of the two. On the results of the -awards by the judges the Austin performed better than the Fordson ; particularly was this apparent on belt work.
The Cletrac, I consider, did not do itself justice, and I believe that on looser surfaces and wetter soils it will be found a very useful tractor, especially if provided with a low gear in order to allow of heavier plough work. It suffered from going too fast, and i hence not ploughing as well as t might have done.'
It must be.realized that, the tractor is only a part of the outfit, and•that a,proper design of plough to deal with the special classes of soil is essential. The
• difficult soil conditions did not appear to suit the Oliver general-purposes plough, but the Oliver hreakeri used by the Fordson tractor was much better,whilst the two-furrow 12-ins., plough pulled by the Fiat—an International—appeared to be the best suited to the soil. Ploughs with a greater distance in direction of length between-mould boards, and with a wide adjustment possibility in width of each furrow turned will probably be found to be desirable: All the ploughs which were used were of the self-lift type-. It is open to some doubt whether the labour saved by the use of this type of plough , in India would compensate for its increased cost, 2 especially as in. India a coolie wvgld be needed as well as the driver, and, in my opinion, he might as well ride and adjust theclough behind the tractor as remain idle.
As a result of the trials -the judges awarded the Fiat tractor the gold medal and 500 rupees, the Lauson the silver medal and 500 rupees, and the Austin 1,000 rupees, the latter being a special award in the light tractor class. The judges stated that they qualified their decision "as strictly concerned with the work on black cotton soil at this 'season of • the year, and without reference to the economy on
lighter soils or suitability for monsoon work." ‘-•
In My opinion it, will probably be found necessary to combine for use throughout the year a tractor of the medium class of 18-30 lop., and a light machine of 12-20 h.p. for the rainy -season. With reference to the latter the caterpillar type of machine similar to , the Cletrac appears eminently suitable for rapid and fairly shallow work up to 5 ins., as its pressure on the soil per square inch is very slight.