Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-12-26
ABOUT TRACTORS.
Hazen, N. D., Dec. %.
ditor Clinch Valley News.

C,.. ~. nazen, N. L., Dec. 70.
Dear Sir:
notice from a recent issue that
the Farmers of Tazewell are waking
up to the fact that Tractor Farm
ing is beyond the experimental stage.
and also noticed an invitation from
the Fordson Tractor Agent. for a
demonstration of the different trac-
tors now on the market. Inasmuch us
there are great number of tractors
now being advertised, it is sometimes
ditticult for man to make up his
mind just what kind of machine is
best adapted for his work. Knowing
the conditions in Tazewell as l do,
| do not hesitate to say, that none of
the Big O.tfts" i. e., such tractors
Is Advance Rumeley, Case, Hart
Parr, or Avery will give much salts
faction. The above outfits are for
SIX, ten and up to as high as eigh-
teen breaker bottoms, and the ex-
pense of operation, is very excessive,
both as to lubricants, fuel gas or oil,
and repairs. 1t would seem to me that
the best tractor for Tazewell county
would be one of the smaller types, and
necessarily one of those having the
greatest traction power combined
with the shortest turning radius. I'm
der this latter class are the Fordson
Waterloo Boy, Happy Farmer, Gle
veland and many others. From my
own observation and from what
have learned from listening to many
farmers for the last five years, I be-
lieve that the Cleveland tractor,
would come nearer giving universal
satisfaction under such conditions as
maintain in Tazewell county, than
any other tractor on the market to-
day, This tractor is equipped to pull
three fourteen inch breaker bottoms.
1t is very simple of construction,
economical as to fuel and repairs,
and it is of the Caterpillar type 1t
Will go any where. 1t is very small
affair, and to look at it one can hard
ly believe that it will perform the
work that it does Its short turning
radius, twelve feet, makes it possible
to pillow up close in the corners, around
large rocks, stumps, etc., which can
not be done with the majority of
other tractors.
Any professional demonstration
can make any tractor seem almost
human, and some of them will try
and make a prospect believe that they
are semi-automatic. After the sale
is made it is nothing out of the ordi-
nary for the farmer to discover that
he has white elephant on his hands
therefore my warning to the farmers
of Tazewell is to be sure they have
the machine that will best do their
work, with the least upkeep.
l am in no wise interested in SELL
ing tractors, and my sole reason for
writing this, is to put the farmers
of my. home county strictly on the
defensive.
In conclusion will say that the
Cleveland Tractor was used by the
thousands by the U. S. Government
in various transportation work, espec-
tally in and around wharfs in pulling
trucks etc. have personally seen a
Cleveland tractor pull a 4O-80 Avery
outfit out of deep snow bank where
it was stalled and the Cleveland that
did it was equipped with snow pillow
in front and revolving brush on
rear, the snow bank being about
fourteen feet deep. If you care to
publish this letter. ms being of gen
Gran interest to "Tractor Fans" you
nave my full permission. Should any
of them ever want to see real trac-
tor blowing, tell them to come out
this way and | will show them some
of our steam outfits pulling from
twelve to thirty-six breaker bottoms,
and when one of the thirty skies gets