The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-04-12
Traction Engine and
the Labor Problem.
BY James A. King, Manager
Hart.Parr Companies Farm,
Charles City, Ia.

1
Hart-Parr Companies Farm,
!. Charles City, Ia. 81
j! i. + + + i. + +
One of the problems confronting the
farmer today is that of getting his
work done with as few men Is posi-
BILE. The labor problem throughout
the farming section is something
fierce. Any old kind of a man is hard
to get at any price in many parts of
the country. A good man at a rea.
sonable price is q rare opportunity
and n that should be grasped at
once. But the work has to be done,
man or ne man. Consequently the
question naturally presents itself,
"How can I get my work done at the
least expense?"
To one having q farm of q half sec.
ton or more there zones a good solu.
ton to this problem. That is, there
is a thing that will help matters a very
great deal in getting his work done,
That one thing Is a good traction en-.
CINE. Mind you I say a GOOD TRAC.
TON ENGINE. From my experience
/ think that the best traction engine
n a have is a good gas or kerosene
engine. l have been using one of
these for two years. Very briefly
stated, the reasons why a good trac.
ton engine is a good investment on a
farm of a half section or more are
these: One doesn't need more than
three or four horses; personally I
keep four on 760 acres. OF course.
during haying and threshing, nor
horses. will be needed, but in most
parts Of the country these can be hired
for the short time needed cheaper
than one can feed and take the risk
on those horses during the rest of the
year.
With this engine, depending on its
size, two men a do the work of a
large number of horses and men.
Mine is a twenty-five horse engine.
With it two men will do the work of
five or six men and twenty to twenty.
five horses. With this engine I pillow,
disc, seed, harvest, thresh, haul heavy
loads and a multitude of other things.
The fuel and lubricating oil of this
engine costs me IN ar average about
1925 per day. This is much cheaper
than you can feed the same number
of horses and this engine doesn't cost
me a cent when it isn't working, while
your horses cost you nearly as much
when not working as when working.
In rush seasons the engine can be
worked day and night, six days in the
week. 1t doesn't get soft and out of
condition during the winter months
and 81 is ready to do full work right
at the start Of the rush of seeding
time. 1t isn't affected by hot weather
and so will do its full work day and
night during the rush of harvest sea.
son.
Briefly stated, the reasons as I see
them, why gas or kerosene engines
are better than steam engines are
these: Two men will operate and
care for the gas engine. 1t will take
three men and a team of horses to
care for and operate a steamer. Gas
engines are lighter, according to their
horsepower than are steamers. Con
%sequently you can work on softer
ground with them. I have never seen
a steamer that will do as many kinds
of work on all kinds of ground as will
a kerosene engine. The fuel expense
of my kerosene engine is considerably
less than that Of a steamer of the
same capacity.
OF course there naturally arises tn
~,,ns$So~ ~ hNxy 10n~ m 4Mnin~ will
last. Frankly I have only used ont
two seasons. but In each of these tw,
seasons this engine has worked 20
days or more at the very heaviest
hardest, toughest kind Of work, on al
kinds Of ground. soft, hard. smootl
and rough. Judging from the oondi
ton OF that engine today. and iron
the experience Of others who hav
used them longer than I. q good ga
engine with good care under norma
conditions ought TO last eight to to-
years. This 10 a. long al an averag
horse is good for.
BY figuring In Tho cost of fuel an
~iubricating oil. labor and board OF tn
men. interest and depreciation on tn
Investment, I find that It costs m
from 20 to so cents an acre to plo,
all kinds Of ground. from elk to eigh
Inches deep. Figuring the same item
Il costs me about 20 to 80 cents a
acre to harvest my grain. The cos
Of other things is proportional t
these. My labor expense is as hig
probably as the average OF the countr
over. l haven't the time to run th
engine myself 60 must hire an el
gineer. He costs me from $3.50
$500 a day and his board. My othe
men cost me $35 a month and the.
board. figure the board of a ma
worth 81 a week.
The fuel which l use Is a low grad