Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-02-03
Traction Engine and
the Labor Problem.
By James A. King. Manager
tt1r--parr Companies Farm,
Charles City. la.

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One OF sAe problems confronting the
Farmer j1'!ay IS that of getting his
WORK don with as few men as posi-.
Gle. Nh labor problem throughout
SAe tanning section is something
fierce Any OLD; l,ind of a man is hard
t. sci ~ any price in many parts of
the cnE.ry. A good man at a rea.
s',nahlr ..r;ye : a rare opportunity
and enc thar should be grasped ar
Crce- l:r III. work has to be done,
E.an or 20 ns2n. Consequently the
question naturally presents itself,
''Hc" can ge' my wor! done at the
least exItnaea'
10 one aayf-g a farm Of half Sec
t!cn or '@rr there comes a good solu.
ton IT, ;ais problem. That is, there
is thing chat will help matters a very
great deA IN getting his work done
That one hing is good traction en-.
CINE. MIND YOU | say GOOD TRAC.
TON ENGINE. From my experience
think tAat the best traction engine
C.e can 'l"ve is a good gas or kerosene
engine nave been using one OF
these ~ Two years. Very briefly
stated. w. reasons why good trac-
ton cnE!Ha is a good investment on
farm ~ !. half section or more are
these one doesn't need more than
tlree \" fur horses; personally /
keep iuur IN $50 acres OF course,
curing h,>i ng and threshing, more
horses VIII be needed, but in most
parts 81 fL. country these can be hired
TOR tnn snort time needed cheaper
than one an feed and take the risk
q thn.t 4urS--s during the rest Of the
y.ar.
With this engine. depending on it's
E.ze. fwa ;sel can do TIE work OF a
large Der of horses and men.
tline >. ! t"enty-two horse engine.
With i two men will do the work OF
i've o. six Men ard twenty to twenty.
tve hor.,es. With this engine pillow.
G.sc, :rc1. harvest. thresh. haul heavy
s,ads .lld > multitude Of other things.
The fuel ard lubricating oil OF this
engine y..olS no on an average about
$;.23 n"~ gay. This is much cheaper
tnan ynl. an feed the same number
Of horses. and this engine doesn't cost
NE cent chen it isn't working, while
your h"rs.ao cost you nearly as much
when siut working as when working
IN rnsi, seasons the engine can be
VOrKtd la and night. Six days in the
week. &c doesn't get soft and out Of
C0uditia. turing the winter months
and 50 i; lady to do full work right
hs, ~
time. It ss.t affected BY hot weather
and $" WI, 10 its full work day and
night Gnr.:: the rush OF harvest sea
son.
Briefly rated the reasons as see
them. ~! gas or kerosene engine,
are bette: han steam engines are
these - men will operate and
care Tx - gas engine. 1t will take
three 49,, ard team of horses to
care ~ y. operate a steamer Gas
engine; - ijghrer. accorlin. to their
horserpWt: than are steamers. Con-
eequeatiy @on can work on softer
ground Wiz fhem. | have mover seen
a steamer Eat will do as many kinds
Of W1is o. all kinds OF ground as will
a kercsfnA Ansine. The fuel expense
Of LAY X. .--fie engine is considerably
less thaii that of Il steamer of the
same tap. ~.
OF (uur,t. there naturally arises the
question u now long an engine will
last. .t..itN,T | have only used ono
two Seasons, ont in each of these two
Seasons this engine has worked 200
days c. ..it.sa al the very heaviest
hardest. fuE!gntst kind of work. on all
kinds q .-coilnd, soft, hard smooth
and .cn-,, Judging from the condi-
ton OF TIA engine today, and from
the e=pHf.@Gce OF others who have
Gsed thpI,i lorger than |. a good gas
engine $50 gGed care under normal
Sond.t ;an. asht to last eight to ten
ears. .,,, S as loag as an average
horse u : ii fer.
BY fgn' re in the cost of fuel ard
l. blica:i'3s III labor and board OF the
H2en, iniara : tnd depreciation on the
i.vesinent. lind that it costs re
fson, ~ Il ~ cents an acre to ,,aw
I'll kinds ); ground. from six to eight
inches d. Figuring the same items
il costs ,tt,. about - to 80 cents an
acre IT. har"est my grain. The cost
q o'1as ..-.nss is proportional TO
these. H. .anor expense is as high
probahly Is he average OF the country
ever. ! a. an't the time to run the
engine lAs=-f 50 must hire an en-
gineeF. tia rosts me from $2.50 to
$500 d.. sad his board. Ny other
men cast tne so month and their
toard. s.g'.re the board of a man
worth - ! Eeek.
Tie - =. Il Hae IS a loa s=.ade