AGRIMOTOR NOTES.
Page 23
Page 24
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Forthcoming Tractor Trials. The Regulations Criticised.
THE RULES and regulations governing the trials of agrimotors, to be carried out by the R.A.S.E. in conjunction with the S.M.M. and T. at Aisthorpe, near Lincoln, have been issued, and their perusal affords quite interesting reading.
It is certainly a little unfortunate that the site should be so near to the same locality as last year. Many of the farmers who, from afar, visited Lincoln then will not do so again, unless they are enthusiasts, and I am afraid there is not a sufficient number of these among the farming community to warrant a success of a function of this kind. I do not pretend that, with the venue in the same place again, the effect will be disastrous. That certainly will not happen, because there will be a sufficient number of interested persons in a county like Lincolnshire, with the agriculture of the neighbouring counties, to ensure a good attendance.
But among the objects of the promoters of these trials is that of making them as widely known as possible, with a view to attracting a wide public. By having a site in quite a different part of the country, a. fresh set of people would have been attracted, in addition to the few enthusiasts and those who are interested above the ordinary who would attend from all parts of the country. Neither is it too pleasant to contemplate the fact that this year the site is situated several miles further away from Lincoln beyond the site of last year's trials. However, the matter has been settled now, and I think that, in all faithfulness, we shall be justified in urging our readers to forbear with the promoters and attend for a second time at Lincoln.
Many, we know, are disappointed with the decision made, but the Sites Committee were unable to choose a better position. There were many points to be considered, first and foremost being the suitability of the land, It will be noted from the regulations that the tests to which the tractors will be submitted will . be by no means an easy accomplishment, and, had the Sites Committee not been able to secure a suitable site, the effect of giving all the tractors a fair chance would not .have been produced. I am sure that the committee Would, unhesitatingly, have chosen a position in another part of the country if they could have found one that was in every respect suitable and reasonably near to good hotel accommodation. I know members of the committee gave much hard work to the task, and many of their weekends or their Sundays were taken up touring the country in search of a site. It cannot be said that the decision on Lincoln was made before the committee had done their best to secure sites elsewhere. Many others were considered, but as an all-round proposition, Lincoln was by far and away the best.
In many ways the trials, however, promise to be a great attraction and to be full of interest. The event opens on Tuesday, September 28th ; this should enable those who want to be there on the first day to travel up on Monday. It was understood that the trials would not last more than a week, but this seems rather doubtful, and I have heard that it will be much nearer 10 days before the conclusion; at any rate, it is announced in the regulations that a tractor must complete the acreage allotted to it before judging can be completed, and 10 days is given in which to do this.
Another point causing a good deal of discussion is the question of awards. There was a good deal said for and against awards in connection with last year's trials. Last year, it will be remembered, there were no awards, and a certain section of those interested thought there should have been. This year there is a section who think and maintain that it is not fair to make awards to tractors. I know that there are disadvantages in connection with tractors, but it is the custom of the R.A.S.E. to give prizes, and, is the event, so far as the Royal is concerned, is not an annual one, I think we might agree to drop the discussion this time and observe what happens. The greatest objection to awards seems to be the opportunity afforded for machines to be got up especially to win the prize, whether they have been tested by experience or not. Well, we shall see whether this happens at Lincoln. Viewing the position broadly, I see no reason why a tractor should not be given an sopportunity, of winning a prize„ because, when. all is
settled, the best appliances are bound to force them . selves to the front, and the farmer himself is the. best judge, and submits the tractors to the longest and severest tests.
The Royal Society is arranging to have all pointa in connection with the trials noted on behalf ef each appliance, and,I must, say that, in regard to the testing and taking an all-round view of the matter. I am **well satisfied with it. It will be no easy job for the tractors to carry out the tests required of them, and this I consider is as it should be, and, apart from any award that an individual tractor may win or not win, the trials carried out on this principle are bound to bring new impetus to the popularity of the appliance. Not only will the agrimotor be forced more into the farmer's imagination, but the collective information will form data for judging the capacity of the agrimotor in every respect, and personally I have not the slightest doubt that the result will prove that the capacity of the agrimotor in this country has been under-estimated rather than over-estimated.
Regulation 2 tests the machine for efficiency in carrying out various classes of work. Of this, farmers will be pleased to make a note. Competitors must plough a given area of land, each entrant commencing the work at the regulation width and depth, which subsequently may be varied at the discretion of•the judges. Tine is a very good way of testing the capacity of a tractor. Fuel and water consumption will he recorded and compared with the amount of work done and the width and depth of the ploughing. It may be useful for manufacturers to note that, consequent on representations made by seeeral competitors as to the difficulty of coupling their motor tractors to the ploughs selected,, so as to allow or their running with both wheels ori the land, the question has been considered and it has been arranged that, so far as the hitch of the plough is concerned, competitors may either provide their own hitch or arrange with the plough makers for such modifications of the hitch as may be necessary to meet their requirements. Such modifications will be effected on the responsibility of the competitor concerned, and must be completed before the commencement of the trials. It must be dearly under. stood that no modification to any part of the plough aft of the hitch will be permitted. Supplementary trials on various classes of land with ploughs and cultivators provided hy the Society may be made at the discretion of the judges, who may also decide to try any tractor with other types of implement they may consider necessary.
T am glad that special attention is to be paid to the pressure exerted by the machine upon the land ploughed or cultivated, and that the uniformity of the furrow ends and evenness of the .furrow will be considered.
Tractors in classee 3, 4, 5, and 6 shall be capable of road haulage, and will be taken over -a course on the road and on the land.
The other points for testing include the usual ones of hill-climbing for selected tractors and efficiency in driving stationary machinery, whilst the tractor fitted with winding gear may have the opportunity
of demonstratingits advantages for power hauling. The rules and regulations were printed in The Commerexal Motor for August 17th, and I only extract the following from the official regulations for the purpose of emphasizing the points that will be rooked tor by the judges :—
(a) Weight of machine. (b) Weight per inch, width of wheel, and diameter of wheel.
(e) Mechanical design and construction. (el) Adaptability to various kinds or work such as harvesting and the like. (e) Time taken to prepare for work. (f). Ease and safety of handling.
(0 Ease of turning and space required for same.
(h) Efficiency of winding gear.
(i) Facility of .attachment.• (j). Wheel devices.
(k) Attendance necessary.
(1) Consumption of fuel, water, and other supplies
per unit of work done. (m) Price. •
In classes I, 2, 3, and 4, the Society is providing the ploughs, in order-, as it states, to ensure uniformity of conditions. In other classes, competitors will provide their own ploughs. Now, this is the one sore point with me in the whole of the rules and regulations governing the trials. Of course. I cannot pretend to pit my judgment against that of the committee, who have deliberated so much upon the matter, and at last come to this conclusion and made the decision, but I-may be allowed to express my opinion, which is that the most uniform coaditione would have been provided by allowing each tractor entrant to select his own plough. This regulation will certainly place some of the tractors at a great disadvantage. Further, in forming this regulation, the Society decided to exclude all American ploughs. I hold no brief for American ploughs, but I am sufficiently broad-minded to give everybodya chance, and if the Americans have got anything good in the plough line, I certainly want to hear of it.
I do not consider the decision of tlai Society to provide the fuel to be altogether a fair one, but this decision should assist .somewhat • in securing uniformity in the quality of the fuel, which to some extent should justify the departure. . Many of the other regulations are most interesting,. and the farmer should find, in the event, an opportunity for judging and comparing the tractot in a way that has never previously been afforded to him, and he can feel assured of being able to see at Lincoln some very fine agrimotors, on the production of which are employed great capital and the best workmanship in the line.
Tractor trials, to the farmer, must be more than mere advertisements ; they must, be designed to prove to him that the tractor can do goad work all round, and this I submit is the object and will be the result of Lincoln.
Apart from the condition as to ploughs, the regulations are, on the whole, fair, reasonable, 'and broad, and will provide an exhaustive test of the agrimotor.
• • A GRIMOT.