Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29
DEMAND FOR TRACTORS
FAR EXCEEDS SUPPLY
American Manufacturers Will Pro-
duce About $1,000, Whereas
Twice That Many Could Be Used

That American manufacturers OF
gasoline farm tractors will produce
probably $4,000 tractors this year. as
compared with the demand Tor loo'ooo
or more, gives special interest to the
annual demonstration of tractors which
will be held at Fremont, Neb., the week
of August s to 10.
ers produced $4,000 tractors. This year
they hoped to have built 10000, but
shortage Of labor and materials and
lack Of Standardization has cut this
figure to a possible $4,000. It Is esti-
mated that there is a possible field for
a million Of these tractors IN THIS
At Fremont over ESQ farm tractors
will demonstrate each day. these rep
resenting the majority Of the tractor
manufacturers. Many thousand acres
of land have been secured for the DEM
onstration week, and from morning un-
til night these machines will be dem
onstrating their ability to ploW ana DO
every kind of farm work.
Problems to Be Discussed.
This national tractor week will be
the occasion of great meeting OF
tractor engineers and manufacturers,
at which problems Of greater tractor
production, as made necessary by the
var VII he be on farm
ment, in the Department of Agricul-
ture, and a government tractor expert.
will speak on the more efficient use OF
tractors on farms and the more inten-
sive cultivation possible with them as
compared with animal power. A year
ago Mr.. Yerkes conducted the govern
ment QUESTIONABLE with $4,000 farmers
operating tractors. and from this ar
rived at the startling deduction that
fhaSa AVERAGING
eight days work per year. whereas 1t is
possible to use them more than double
the number Of days in war times. Mr..
Yerkes is handling a second govern
and Is expected to give some startling
figures regarding tractor use.
Must standardize Tractor.
Great Britain found it necessary to
standardize farm tractor construction and
America faces the same problem. The
Society of Automotive Engineers, which
embraces in its membership engineers
representing such industries as automo-
biles, motor trucks, farm tractors, air
planes. motor cycles, motor boats and
stationary gas engines, started this work
Of tractor Standardization last spring and
is vigorously carrying 1t on at present
Tractor manufacturers are requesting
methods for the standardizing Of parts. SO
that production to meet the demands will
Dc poSslple Inc oociety Oh AutoHotl'S
Engineers was entirely responsible for
standardization work in connection with
American automobiles and made a
worlds name for itself in this field. Its
engineers are now standardizing aviation
motors and planes. 1t is working SINH
larly with regard to farm tractors, and
through this source 1t will be possible to
bring tractor production up to the figures
necessary.
The S. A. E is also working with the
trac tor fuel problem, which will be dis
cussed at Fremont. Kerosene has gen.
orally been accepted as a satisfactory
tractor fuel, but many manufacturers de-
clare it Is not so efficient as gasoline and
that there is greater economy In using
gasoline Notwithstanding the higher price.
Experts in engine design and others In
carburetion, as well as chemists for fuel
manufacturers. are expected to reveal
some interesting facts in this fuel con-
, troversy.