Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-04-25
FARM ENGINEERING AT
THE STATE COLLEGE

IL,
struction was given in road eonstruc-
,,on including location, grades.
bodybuilding, drainage, and road
covering. In the same year also in
struction in irrigation engineering
was commenced. Such subjects as
irrigation dams, canals, fumes.
wiers; studies of the flow of water
IN omen channels, and the guaging of
streams and fumes were a part of
the work. That year, also, pro-
vision was made for instruction in
farm motors, including wind mills,
steam and Gas engines.
In 1900, instruction was given in
the operation of traction engines.
and since then has been offered year
". with an average of about 80 STU
dents annually through the period.
Last spring, 4 students were en-
rolled for traction engine study.
Sometime ago, the regents of the
college transferred traction engine
practice from the department of
electrical and mechanical engineer
ing, making 1t a part of the work
given in the agricultural department
of the college. The present spring
work will open with seven or eight
traction engines. In the plans for
buildings adopted not long ago by
the regents, is included a new build
ing to house this and other phases of
farm mechanics. The building now
used is a two-storied affair, "a feet
wide by 100 feet in length. It was
constructed originally for sheep
barn, and will be utilized wholly for
that purpose upon the contemplated
extension of this phase of animal
husbandry at the college; by which
time it Is planned to have the new
farm engineering structure ready for
occupancy. The floors of the build
ing are now filled with several car
loads of farm implements for use In
the instruction. of classes, $4,000
approximating the value of the
equipment now at hand.
Included are a number Of grain
and grass-seeders, different types of
fencing material, power machines,
harrows, cultivators, and plows. Of
the latter there is large assortment,
including those made to rip open the
: ground to a depth of Is inches, or
deeper. Others are for use in dry
ground, the disk plows, for example.
There are many makes of gang
plows, walking plows, ditch plows,
and others.
Studying the pillow, students are
taught to take its m Measurements, of
what its different parts are made,
concerning its adjustments; how to
determine if it's set" is right;
whether or not it will scour prop
erly; draft; and, all told, how to
know whether or not the pillow of
any make will do the work for which
Il is intended. There is the study of
hitches, simple problems, apparently,
yet easily overlooked, and of great
Importance. Last summer Mr. Charl-
ton took his class out into the field
where man was using a gang,
seemingly with good results. The
Students were shown that by lining
up the plow-bottoms, proportioning
the draft, shaping the plowshares
properly, and setting the coulters
ana rear wheel right, reduction OF
90 per cent in the draft was effected.
mat is, with six horses being used to
pull the plow, saving of two horses
could be made. Mr.. Charlton says
'nat not one man in ten knows how
70 properly adjust a plow.
VI leading interest to the students
N farm mechanics are the gasoline
engines, and more than 800 persons
nave had this work in the agricul-
'urai department of the college. At
present, IA different types of engines
are used for instruction, and it is
Planned to increase the number.
me students are taught how to run
Tue engines, how to keep them in
luhning order, and how to fix them
"hen they get out of order. Occa-
'ionaiiy Mr.. Charlton deliberately
p0ls an engine out of working order,
auu then directs his students to as
s0r'aln the trouble, and remedy 1t.
.eit 10 work out their own salvation
ne Students display both resource
Diness and persistence, often labor
lug long after the hours for study
have closed.
me use of gasoline engines is
demonstrated for such purposes as
Jumping water, grinding feed, cut
sus silage, cleaning grain. saving
ou' mixing cement, elevating
e."ih, Tor SPRAYING and in the dairy.