Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-28
The Tractor on the Southern Form
SUCCESSFUL FARJnIhG

\ very large number Of farm tractors
are now being manufactured and they
are being widely sold and distributed
throughout the southeastern states.
There is a good deal of diversity OF
opinion as TO their relative merits and
as to their practicability for use on
southern farms. In order TO secure in
formation which seemed TO be reliable
and OF value in arriving At a conclu-
sion as TO the merits of the tractor as
tempt was made by the AGRICULTURAL en-
SinSering division OF the Georgia State
college of Agriculture to gather data
on this most important subject Hence,
a QUESTIONABLE was prepared and sent
cut 10 as many owners OF tractors as
Fames could BE- secured. Some thirty
four replies were received and IL is
believed that nothing more instructive
VI valuable can be presented for the
Information OF our readers than the
opinIOn OF the men who have had prac-
tical experience with this source Of farm
power and a summary Of the replies
as received Owners who were Ques-
joined as TO whether they regarded the
Farm tractor as a successful investment
replied as follows: Affirmative. 81: un-
certain, 4: negative. = Ii will thus
he seen that the replies in favor or
the farm tractor were as three TO one,
and III we count the four neutral. or I'M
certain as to their opinion. almost four
TO one. which would indicate that the
farm tractor in the hands of an intel
Iizent operator is winning it's way
very "a pidIy into the favor of the farmre
as a means Of motive power
According to summary OF the data
chained. eight different kinds of trac-
Tors were owned by the farmers who
sent in the replies in question Hence,
IL would appear that several of the
machines now on the market must be
regarded as being OF a satisfactory type
and capable Of doing good work under
PROPER management That these owners
should be IN position TO give a fair
estimate Of the value of the tractor, is
shown BY the fact that the period of
ownership varied from eighteen 10
twenty-one months. CT in some instances
for nearly two years Certainly long
enough time one would think. for the
operator TO acuuaint himself satisfac-
torIly with the merits 90 the machine
he had purchased The average acres
worked BY the tractor according TO these
reports varies from 10 to 3S5 acres.
=. the case OF one or two extraordinarily
large fields the figures were not aver
s~ed. Those reporting the successful
= - OF the tractor did not attempt TO
low. handle or cultivate as large areas
= those who were dissatisfied with the
YORK 6: ACCOMPLISHED. This is interest
f.z to the extent that II probably in
Si-ates that in some instances farmers
have attempted 10 handle more land
with the tractor than they could work
satisfactorily.
As to the amount of land which can
be plowed per hour. opinions vary. but
approximately one acre seems to repre-
sent a fair average of the results OBJ
tanned The tractors which seem 10
have proven most satisfactory were
those ranging in horsepower from
twelve TO twenty-five The average cost
OF operating them was from - cents %
IS cents per hour. The drswbar horse
power required 10 pillow one acre was
APPARENTLY ais. The average cost OF
blowing an acre was approximately 20
cents. OF the tractors used to advan-
tage nine were operated with gasoline
and ten with kerosene. at a fuel cost Of
7s.5 cents per acre Of gasoline and -
cents for kerosene. The acres plowed
per day. or ten hours. with gasoline av-
eraEed 5-4s. and with kerosene $40.
Those who reported unsatisfactory r.
suits with the tractor reported results
very much out Of line with those indi-
Gated above. This might naturally be
expected because while the failures IN
some instances may have been due 10
defects in workmanship. materials. or
the style Of construction. or the source
OF the prOpelli1g power used. the
oh unite often
due TO a lack OF appreciation or under
standing Of machines. and, therefore.
inability to handle or operate them in a
sympathetic or successful manner.
The foregoing facts will indicate that
the farm tractor Is making rapid prog
ress In Georgia and the southeastern
states. and as Il becomes more and more