TRACTOR NOTES.
Page 19
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THE SCOTTISH tractor trials, the first series of which is taking place this week (yesterday and to-day), at East Graigie Home Farm, Cramond Bridge, near Edinburgh, promise to be by far the most important that have yet taken place. The arrangements and conditions of the test have been carried out with typical Scotch thoroughness, and the vendors of those machines which survive, and particularly those which, in the opinion of the judges, take the leading places, will reap a just reward in the very near future. Practically all the Scottish farmers, and they form a considerable market, are awaiting these trials before deciding upon their purchases. The southron is likely to suffer from lack of enterprise on the,part of the English Board Of Agriculture, accentuated in no small degree by the present-day standard of our travelling facilities. The Editor tells me, however, that the " C.M." is well represented at the trials, so that its reader will have the best possible reports available for his study next Thursday. The last trials of importance were also held in Scotland, near Stirling, during October of 1915. They were conducted under the aegis of the same authority which is responsible for the organization of the present exhibition, the Highland and Scottish Agricultural Society, to wit. On that occasion only six competitors entered the field, and the trial, as a whole, though invaluable as an encouragement to the industry, was rather negative in its results. This, I believe, was principally due to lack of experience. Things have gone ahead since then, for the last two years have seen some marvellous progress in the art of ploughing by motor, and some really good work and tangible results should accrue from this timely venture.
I see that a correspondent of "The Field" has been having some exceedingly bitter tractor experiences ; withal, hes is still determined to try again. I have not space to quote his very interesting notes in full—he writes of five different machines—and for this reason it would not be fair to give the name of the one about which he writes:— " A good little fellow for two months. Will only pull two furrows well. Makes very pretty work, and does not ' pack ' very much. Walts one part petrol to four of paraffin, and will not do an acre of medium land under nine-eleven gallons. Expensive. Cannot stand vibration, and sheds its bolts like a porcupine after a time. About the best of the American.
The italics are mine.
I wonder why someone has not hitherto mooted the idea of coal-gas for tractors. The fuel, shortage, to my mind, is going to be felt very keenly in the agrimotor world as well as in the field of transport. The conditions are not very favourable to the use of gas, but are nevertheless hopeful. Assuming that gas is laid on at the farm, the supply of fuel could easily be arranged even using flexible, holders, which appear to me, at any rate, to be practicable._ I have no doubt that a holder of 400 cubic ft. capacity could be carried on an awning above the machine, while a second spare one could be conveyed from farm to field on a light two-wheeled truck which could be pulled by a boy or strong girl. One filling, I am sure, would suffice to plough half an acre—gas would prove a most economical fuel—and the container p could easily be designed for rapid removal from tractor to trailer and vice-versa. The spare container would, of course, be filled while the other was in use. Quite apart from this, however, the tanner could in many cases use gas when the tractor engines were driving stationary machinery on the farmstead, such as threshing machines, chaff cutters, milking machines, and the like. I have no doubt that, taken over the whole of these islands, a considerable economy of liquid fuel could be gained by this means, even taking into consideration the tact that not a few farms are lacking a supply of gas, and would not, therefore, be able to adopt my suggestion in either form.
The preponderance of privately imported tractors disclosed in the returns is a matter for congratulation for several reasons. It clears away any misconceptions which may still exist as regards the attitude of the Government towards the trader. Personally, I never paid mulch attention to the somewhat attenuated stories which were rife in certain quarters relative to that matter. It shows that the farnier is gradually forsaking his attitude of dependency on Government aid, and is waking up to the real significance of the tractor. Fii ally, and thisreason is undoubtedly sufficient in itself, it is undeniable that a tractor in the hands of its owner-farmer is bound to perform three times as efficiently as it will in the hands of paid officials who are principally concerned in an immediate show of acreage and who are, in any case, not likely to be affected financially by the early demise of the steed they drive.
Enwrapped in the last statement is one of the reasons for the meagre results which accrued from last year's Government tillage scheme. More unfortunate, however, were the general methods adopted. In effect, the farmer was told to plougt his land, "but," said the Government, "if you. cannot conveniently arrange to do the work, we will come along and do it for you at less than half the test." Compare this treatment with the methods adopted in Ireland, the last country in the world, one would imagine, wherein it would pay to use force. "Go," said the Government to the farmer, "till twice as much, or three times as much land as your customary acreage, and do it to our satisfaction, or we will take your farm from you. If you want implements or tractors we will help you to obtain them. We will advance you some of the purchase price, if necessary, on loan' but in any event your ground must be tilled to th.0 extant which we have laid-down, and to nur.satasfaction.." What was the effect?... The results of the tillage in Ireland were three times as good as those obtained here, considering all the circumstances.
There would be little point in writing the above if there were evidence to show that things were likely to be any different this year, but, from ineidents which may be observed in the country from day to day, it is evident that they are not going to be greatly different. The only really good sign is that of the activity of the priyate importer. since, from it knowledge of the British trader, it can readily be assumed that he is not importing tractors to the tune of hundreds per month if he cannot envisage a lE111 ark et for them. The Irish results are well known to our experts, and the -faults of the system employed last year are patent now. In any case, I know that' representations have been made in certain quarters to the effect thati the existing scheme was open to the' criticism outlined above. What is preventing, the powers that be from utilizing Irish ex perience for our benefit? AGRImor.