Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1893-02-09
N |E|IllRo6r:5eStock
ELECTRICITY ON THE FARM.
Agricultural Possibilities OF tho New NJ


tive Power.
In the current number of the Engi-
neering Magazine A. F. McKissick de-
scribes the success of the experiment ip
"Practical Farming by Electricity" at
the Alabama Agricultural Station, at
Auburn, and from it draws the follow
ing conclusions as to the future of farm
Ing:
In some localities there is no reason
why a central station could not supply
power to several farms. For example,
let US assume that we are in neighbor'
hood where farms are so located that we
could find one occupying central posi-
sion and four others in radius of one
mile. One central farm occupies the
center OF our circle, and the four Others
at the ends of two diameters intersecting
At right angles. This assumed location
of these farms is good average. As
suming that the maximum requirement
for any one farm at any time Of the year
is 8 horsepower, our central station
would then need for the use of the five
farms, say 40-horse power boiler, 40
hOi sc power engine, and 40-horse
power generator. Work will be arranged
on these farms so that every Saturday or
every other Saturday to suit the season
will be ''power-day," or oftener when
the years Gotten crop must be ginned or
the grain crop threshed.
We will use the standard voltage now
in vogue $500 volts) for transmission of
power by electricity. The S-horse power
motor at each farm will cost about $3.50
At the factory. Two miles of Insulated
yUiro Ia fnr ho
for the return) of sufficient size to carry
the maximum current with loss of 10
per cent, will cost about $175. Say the
freight and poles will swell the first
cost of the plant for each farm to total
of 1925. This amount would hardly
pay for an S-horse power boiler, an s.
horse power engine, the pump. the set
tings of boiler and engine, well, smoke
stack, and The erection of building. In
our electric-motor system this building
Is unnecessary, for we could place this
motor in the same building in which we
have located our different machines.
For the central station q 40-horse
power boiler will cost $500, a 4O-horse
power engine the same, and the genera
tor about $3.50, or say the whole plant,
set up ready to start, would cost $500.
This divided among the five farms,
would swell up the first cost Of the farm
plants to $94O. We would make the
sentral station farmer pay the cost of
erection of the station building for he
has no line to pay for. With system
80 arranged power could be delivered to
these farms on certain days agreed on
beforehand.
At one time we might see on farm No.
the winters supply of wood being
no ,nI ~sn o~,I
pressed; at No. 3 the sorghum-cane
crushed, or cider pressed; at No. a
planer or lathe at work; and at No. q
feed cutter or corn shelter, or perhaps
the ensilage.cutter. With this system
the farmer could saw up his own wood,
gin and prt So his own cotton, grind up
his feed-stuff and sorgum cane, and cut
up his ensilage, etc. A corn or flour
mill could be added, and his toll for
grinding saved.
Look at the advantages. The first
cost Of the electric system is about $3.50
or $500 more than the private steam
plant. The interest on this amounts to
$25 per year. He saves four-ffths of
the wages of fireman and assuming
wear and tear to be the same on all en-
gines) four-fifths of the wear and tear;
he saves in the hauling Of fuel, he saves
water, he gets rid of the element of dan
ger from fires. Too much stress cannot
be laid on this last point. II there
should be ater-fall in the community
by means of turbine we could use this
natural kinetic energy and save fuel,
wear and tear on toiler and engine and
other repairs. If this should be the case
there would be no comparison between
the two systems as to economy.
II this motor system were in vogue
see how rainy days could be utilized.
Corn could be ground up into feed stuff
for cattle or into meal for bread, cotton
seed crushed, grain threshed, cotton
ginned, wood sawed into lumber, and in
q variety Of ways could something use
full be done that requires power for its
operation. How many pretty country
homes are allowed to 60 into ruins for
the lack of board here or plank there
The fence could be repaired but for the
lack of boards. With saw and planer
run from this electric system there would
NO excuse for such neglect.
Science Factor in Agriculture.
From Popular Science Monthly.I