The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1916-06-22
aS TRACTOR STUDY
oAieuty h Operation is Prin.
eipal Objection Given.

0osi6sdiy Unwiss Ter Owner 10 Va
6sstsks . Gain Necessary kaswi.
sS0s By Experimenting With
His Own Asehias.
UrepArsd by the United statee Depart-
nent Of Agriculture.I
Tho authors Of Farners' Bulletin
10. An Economic Study Of the Farm
Tractor IN the Corn Belt" point out
that IN reports froa nearly 200 ovn-
ers of tractors il Illinois dimculty In
operation Was mentioned ~ the prin-
etDal disadvsntaSe Of the tractor. In
discussing this fact. especially in its
bsoFing on the reliability OF the trac-
Tor. tie writer's ssy:
In view OF the fAct that dimculty
in operation 10 mentioned BY tractor
owners ~ the principal disadvantage
Of the tractor. 1t seems pertinent to
state that while any man OF ordinary
ability can operate and care for . gas
tractor very satisfactorily after . little
study and experience, 1t 10 decidedly
uAWise for him to undertake to gain
the neceoeary experience by expert
nantfng with his own machine. In
most casss he can obtain the expert
socs more chesply elsewhere. Ex-
peTieacs In running stationary engines
Or automobiles. while Of some vafue.
10 not enough: the mere starting Of
tho motor. changing of gears, and
stopping are simple matters. and any
farmer can quickly learn to do these.
but the important thing 10 the ability
to detect trouble the minute 10 be-
gins to develop. and to be able to
remedy 1t promptly instead Of allow
ing 1t to run along until an expensive
delay results.
"A great many owners report that
It 10 extremely dimcult to get hired
help capable Of operating tractor
satisfactorily. Where . tractor 10 to
be operated BY hired help 1t 10 very
important for the owner to understand
the proper care of tho OUTFIT in order
to see that IT. 10 not abused.
The fact that Q tractor does de-.
mand Q certain amount Of knowledge
on tho part Of the operator can scarce.
ly be considered . disadvantage. mas
much a. the necessary training can be
obtained easily and at . very nominal
expense. It 10 to be regretted that 30
many men will ignore the opportun-
tiles for eQuipping themselves for the
proper operation Of tractor before
attempting to run ono.
THAT it pays to spend . few days
in gaining experience under . COM
petent instructor 10 attested by . great
many tractor users. That 1t 10 un-
wiss to attempt to run . tractor with.
out such preparation has also been
demonstrated many times. One farm.
or writes: -.-s.-'
81 had NO experience with the trac-
tor when l started and would have
made I'VE hundred dollars during the
season, II l had had the same expert
ence when I started in the spring as l
had in the fall when l quit
MANY others could truthfully make
similar statements.
with the increasing use Of tractors,
a. well as of automobiles and station.
ary engines, farmers are rapidly be-
coming familiar with the care and op-
Grafton Of gas engines. At the same
time tractors are being improved and
simplifed, 10 that difficulties in opera
ton are growing less each year. One
generation of well-trained and compe-
tent operators will disseminate in
formation SO that future generations
will acquire knowledge on the subject
as unconsciOusly, yet as thoroughly,
as the average son acquires his knowl.
edge of horses.
THE mistake should not be made of
assuming that any boy can operate a
tractor In an efficient manner; it is a
Job which only q proficient operator
can handle properly.
Reliability.
THE reliability Of q tractor depends
very largely upon the ability of the
operator. OF about 200 tractor owners
in Illinois. 81 per cent report that their
outfits were not out of commission =
single day when needed during the
past season. OF the remaining 43 per
cent, the average number Of days their
tractors were out Of commission when
needed was seven. This average, how
ever, does not include the experience
of seven men who stated their ma
chimes were out Of commission nearly
all the time and one who said half the
time.
THE reports Of tractor owners indi-
cate that with careful and proficient
operator q gas tractor is very de-
pendable source of power: occasional
slight delays probably will be encount-
cred. but serious ones will be excep-
tional. With careless or incompetent
operator, serious delays are apt to be
frequent.
About 30 per cent Of tractors in ILL
nois are operated by the owner or