Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-11
Flowing by Steam Power.

&: Ano aoGUAioGlVe d scarcely drawn
the first train of cars over a track
formed OF two parallel bars of iron be-
tore inventors turned their minds to
the matter Of drawing a pillow or a gang
Of plows by steam power. It is likely
that as many horses, mules, and oxen
are employed in drawing plows as
would be required to haul ali the pro-
ducts of the fields to market. The in
PRODUCTION of railroads greatly. reduce
the number of draft animals that far
mers were. once required to keep bv
doing much Of the work they once per-
formed. The introduction of o steam
plow would render it possible to raise
large fields of many kinds of crops with
very few draft animals, or with none
atalL Alocomotive propelled by steam
power that could draw several plows
might also draw harrows, c%ultivators,
and harvesters. 1t is possible, even
probable, that a steam locomotive may
be made that will not only, do, most Of
the work in fields now performed by
horses and other draft animals, but
draw the products Of the farm to the
nearest railway station or steamboat
landing. If such an invention is ever
perfected, as great a revolution will be
produced in farming as the railroad
produced in the old methods of trans
portation by means of draft animals.
/, Steam plowing by means of O trac-
ton engine, or rather by the use of two
engines, one placed at each extremity
OF the field to be plowed, has for many
years been ! a success on u few large
estates in England and few countries
on the continent of Europe. This
method of steam power is costly, and
is not applicable to small. farms. The
engines are expensive, and wire cables
equal in length to that of the field to
be plowed, are necessary. The engines
must be moved every time the gang of
plows is driven across tho field. The
pllows must be guided BY hand, SO that
about as many men ARE required to
plow by steam power. as when draft
animals are employed. The. savings is
In the use of draft animals. and in their
feed. This is partly. balanced by the
cost of fuel. In England, however,
soft coal suitable for firing on engines
is very cheap, while horse feed and
horsefesh are dear. Machinery made
pf metal is cheaper there, and the wa
ges of farm .laborers are lower. All
these circumstances are favorable to
the use of the steam. plow, and have
contributed. to. whatever success it has
achieved. Still, the Use of the steam
pillow in any European country is quite
limited, and there is little to warrant
the conclusion that it is increasing.
=. The coming steam plow is likely to
be a locomotive that lays'its own track
and takes it up again.ns it moves along
over the ground, o II one that has very
wide wheels that will enable it to move
over tolerable soft ground without
sinking into it. Experiments are now
being made by inventors in this city
with steam plows operated on these
principles. OF course, no steam pillow
will spring into a state of perfection at
bnce. 1t will be. like, the locomotive
that runs on railway-tracks and the
stationary engine. a thing of tolerable
slow growth. When one IS constructed
that performs tolerably good work at
p cost not greater than that which at
tends blowing with horses its success
may be considered as assured. Given
the correct principle of operating it
and improvements will be sure Is be
made. Many who. are not capable of
%lnventingg the leading principle Of
machine are capable OF making i'm
provements. Practical tests will show
what difficulties are to be overcome
and what changes must be made. From
present Appearances successful steam
P!ow will be the. GROWING glory Of the