Motor Cultivation.
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A Paper, by a User, Read Before the British Association.
An interesting and instructive paper was read by Mr. C. B. Fisher at the British Association meeting at Newcastle-on-Tyne, on the 7th inst., entitled " Motor Cultivation."
The author has evidently had considerable practical experience of his subject, and after a quasi-historical introduction, he goes on to state that he is personally in favour of the use of the motor traction as against the cable system of cultivating. In the course of his preliminary remarks, he refers to the reprint from the special articles on cable versus tractor ploughing, which, appeared in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR of 29th June last, as being well worth reading in regard to this matter. He states it as his opinion that the motor tractors have now got past their experimental stage, with,which we heartily concur.
Mr. Fisher deprecates comparisons unless great care is taken that the circumstances attendant on each ease are identical. Ile points out that it is ex tremely difficult to obtain these conditions, and that without them any statement of the comparative 're sults of working of horse versus mechanical power, or cable versus tractor are, practically worthless. As illustrating his point, he draws attention to. the fact that whereas on good soil the pull required for a
single furrow plough 9 ins, wide and 5 ins, deep may, be approximately 500 lb., on heavy clay land a simi lar plough would require. 1000 lb., and, in some circumstances, 1200 lb. dynamometer effort, which would be heavy work for four horses. The suggestion that some standard of h.p. rating should be evolved is a commendable one.
As concerning the steam engine for cable ploughing, a set of tackle costs about £3000, and although the life of it is from 20 to 30 years the outlay is too heavy for the individual farmer only in very exceptional circumstances. Work can be found for such a machine in suitable weather during a period of from the middle of March to the middle of October.
The tendency of late years in engines of this descrilition is to specialize and to make different types for various operations. On this account, its utility is restricted, and its beneficial employment depends on whether it is possible to hire when required and when the weather is suitable.
Mr. Fisher then proceeds as follows :— " This is not the case with a motor tractor. Unlike the single purpose engine, the automobile, and railway locomotive, which have more or less uniform conditions to negotiate, the agricultural motor has to work with the utmost extreme variations of condi tions and power, and it has now been proved, in my opinion, that the tractor form of motor, owing to the development of the internal-combustion form of power, is capable of general 'ixdaptation to all round duties of the farm.
"My personal experience has been acquired more especially from the 20 b.h.p. model Universal tractor, made by Saunderson and Mills, Ltd., of Bedford,
which we purchased in March, 1915. The cost was £280, with winding drum 215, total £295, and the only implement purchased especially to go with the tractor was a three-furrow plough from Howards, for £20 10s., the others being the ordinary farm implements with the attachments altered.
"The farm is 850 acres, of which about 455 acres are arable, varying from light two-horse land to stiff
clay. We usually keep about eight houses, but we used the steam tractors last autumn for ploughing and cultivating 100 acres. Owing to the difficulty and de
lay in procuring these necessitating tha late sowing of the wheat, I-am of opinion that if we could have got delivery of a second tractor, the difference in the yield of this year's crop of wheat at present prices would nearly have paid for it.
"The purposes we have put it to have been : Plough ing three furrows with a consumption of three to four gallons of paraffin, one quart of petrol, and three pints of lubricating oil to the acre. We have usually done the hardest work with it, giving the horses the preference of the lighter land, and we plough about five acres a day. "Threshing with a full-sized machine with straw
trusser attached or the engine working the elevator, consumes approximately two gallons of paraffin an hour, one quart of petrel, and threcspints of lubricating oil a day. We have recently threshed one rick of oats, 66 quarters, in one day. The charge for threshing with a hired machine has now been raised to is. 6d. per quarter.
"For threshing 66 quarters the charge would be £4 19s.; cost of coal and carting 6 cwt. for the day,' at Ed per ton, 6s. • total £5 5s. As against paraffin, petrol and oil at the present prices of is. lid., 2s. 10d., and 3s. 6d. per gallon, delivered on the farm, £1; two men instead of men accompanying the engine, 8s. 643., total El 8s. 6d., showing a saving of £3 16s. 6d. a day,
or Is. 2d. per quarter, besides drawing water. In addition, it requires one man constantly to attend to it, whereas the motor tractor driver can be doing at least three-quarters of another man's work. On the other hand, there is the depreciation and interest on capital outlay to consider.
"The saving of Is. 2d. per quarter would not be so great when threshing wheat, but with 250 acres of corn, or a total of 1000 quarters at 6d. per quarter, the contribution in saving from threshing alone would be £25.
"There is a further enormous advantage in haying the machine always there to be used when required, and enabling the best use to be made of labour and opportunities. Only those who have formerly hired can fully appreciate this advantage. "Another purpose, and one for which we now seldom use horses, is hauling. • "It will draw five tons easily at approximately five miles an hour on the road, doing three journeys, totalling 18 miles a day, on about seven gallons of paraffin.
"Possibly as a saving in horses, its work with self binders is most striking. Twe binders, which the tractor pulls easily, would necessitate 12 horses for a full day's work. With tne motor tractor and two binders up to 30 acres can be cut in a day, and the paraffin consumption is about one gallon 'per. acre. "Those who have not. had experience would be natur ally sceptical as to its use after heavy rains. On Tuesday and Wednesday, 29th and 30th. August, in Northamptonshire, there must have been an inch tA rain ; on Thursday morning if, was raining at 6 a.m., and at 2 p.m. they started to cut wheat. in a field of three-horse land, drawing two binders with extremely satisfactory results. "In addition we have used it with equally satisfactory results for scuttling, rolling and harrowing. The figures I have given are not the result of scientific tests, but are the honest opinion of the very intelligent son of the bailifl oi the farm' who has taken the keenest :possible ',nterest in the tractor and looked after it, and driven it since 1915. "We have not had occasion for using it for drilling and mowing, but I have no doubt it can be used satisfactorily for both purposes. In fact, the maker, Mr. Saunderson, has recently purchased a heavy clay land farm in Bedfordshire of 240 acres, which is being operated entirely by motor power for experimental purposes. For at least 12 months motors have done all the ploughing, seeding, harrowing and rolling, including the clover seed; carted all the .produce and dung, cut the hay and tedded and raked it without using a single horse, and I am glad to say that after Michaelmas full facts and figures (.4 the 12 months operations will be published.
"Though not an advocate of the total abolition of horses for farm work, it is an extraordinary object lesson of the possibilities of mechanical traction for the heavy clay wheat growing lands. "This 240 acres was part of an estate I valued in 1911, and 97 acres of thiswith small farmhouse and premises were let at that time for .230 per annum,, about about 6s. 2d. an acre.
"The 4oeneficial effects which would result from draining wet land with the assistance of a mole plough drawn by the tractor would be enormous, and I understand that Howards' have made an implement. of this description.
"You will naturally ask what is the life of a highspeed engine which is going to do all this work. It depends to a very great extent who is 'going to look after it. I should be inclined to base my calculations for depreciation on a period of six years, and even if not entirely worn out it would probably be economical to scrap it, and buy a new one, using the old one for stationary work only.
"I have so far only dealt with. the machine which I have had practical experience of. I believe that demonstrations have proved the value of many of the other makes, including the more modest type, the self-contained motor plough, but beyond giving a table giving as far as I could collect the information there shown, I have not time at my disposal to discuss the meritsof each machine. I know the users of some of the different makes, and in no case have they regretted their purchase under the present circumstances, considering the shortnesi of labour and the fact that the better prices for coin justify an increased outlay in machinery.
"The selection of a machine is a difficulty inasmuch as it is impossible to obtain delivery of some, especially those made in England. Those made in England are the result of the study of our requirements, and one particular feature in which many of the American machines are lacking; is their unsuitability for haulage, from the fact that they do not require them for hard macadam roads in their "own country. "I am personally in favour of 20 b.h.p. to 25 b.h.p., and considerthat a useful machine should be obtainable at from 2250 to -2350, weighing from 1 ton 15 ewt. to 2 ton 10 cwt., and that it is most desirable that it should. have three-gear speeds forward and one reverse, otherwise it cannot negotiate the variable duties of a.general purpose machine, except at a very great loss or time and economy. • -•" For instance, if a tractor be capable of hauling a three-furrow plough up a steep hill, if it has but one speed if must trudge away at its same slow pace coming down, using up fueland wasting valuable time anCt -so with other work in proportion. " Where the size of the farm does not warrant so large a capital expenditure, some form of co-operation may be desirable. The excellent example of the Rutland Branch of the Agricultural Section of the Women's Legion should beef great assistance.
`!Through subscriptions from their members they have procured a 25 h.p. Mogul tractor, a Ransoms four-furrow plough, and a cultivator. With these a demonstration was held on nth June' at which over NO farmers were present, and as the tractor has since been continuously employed, and as the farmers • express great appreciation of the help it is to them, it was decided to procure a second engine and plough of the same makes.
"The increased prices of fuel show how great an advantage is gained by the use of paraffin for running On, even if it is necessary to start on petrol. "Finally let me ealLyour attention to the economic aspects of the case as it may affect our national in terests. •
"As regards labour, it has great powers for goad. Although a form of labour-saving machine, it has the possibilities of being an enormous assistance in solving the question of reconverting the strong wheat land to its proper purpose, and thereby increasing the power of employment. -It can and undoubtedly will raise the standard of wages by turning the agricultural labourer into a skilled mechanic' and in the ease of the farm I have referred to; it has already done so.•
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"If the nation has decided that one of the chief lessons of the war is the necessity for the future security of the country of a greater production of food stuffs at home, the makers of motor tractors have an enormous power and future before them, but to justify the increased expenditure of capital by farmers, one thing is absolutely essential, and that is a guarantee of some stability for the price of wheat.".