The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1919-06-19

show the enormous growth Of the
tractor industry In the compare
lively short time It has been in exist.
ence:
FARM NORTHUMBERLAND POWER.
MARCH Is, 1915
i i .........".............. 1850
lSl4 ...'...................... lb,VO
.oio ..'...''....s., H,VOo
FARM EQUIPMENT CONTROL, UNIT
J. ED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AZ.
RICULTURE
lSl6 ................."..... 2,670
1911 ......................... 62,I42
1918 .......................l 82, 769
MANUFACTURERS ESTIMATED PRO-
DUCTION.
1919 3l4 936
AS previously stated, there was esti-
mated to be between 45 and so firms
or individuals making or attempting
to make tractors in 1900. The office
of farm management, United States
department of agriculture, has always
kept In close touch with the tractor In
dustry, and the files show that in 1909
there were 102 firms actively engaged
in manufacturing tractors and 1872
firms and individuals planning to be-
gin In the near future.
Character Of Tractor Changed.
In the beginning the tractor was con.
structed to simulate the steam engine
In appearance. AS time passed and
prejudice disappeared many refine
ments took place until today 1t is a
compact, well-built machine capable
Of performing a multitude of opera
lions. The first machines were heavy,
rough affairs, capable of pulling eight,
ten, or more bottoms. 1t was soon rec
ogniZed that If the industry were to
prosper n machine would have to be
built which would be practical for or
dinary-slZed farms. The result was
that small machines came on the mar
ket, built to pull two and three plows.
This type of tractor appealed to the
small farmer.
There are now more two and
three pillow machines built than of all
other sizes combined. There are, how.
ever, a number Of companies still max
ing large-size tractor which is still
used on the big farms Of the North
west and the Pacific coast.
How Tractor Was Transformed.
From the rough machines of 1908
and 1909 with single cylinders. chain
drive. cast gears, excessive weight, ex-
posed working parts, and poor ac-
feasibility have been developed ma
chimes of light weight with inclosed
working parts, friction and various
gear drives, electric fixtures, radiator
cooling systems, cut and hardened
gears, multiple cylinders, air cleaners,
kerosene carburetors, one-man control,
and an easy accesslbility-allt this at
price of one-half to one-fourth Of the
early machines.
Owing to varying conditions, there
are two types OF machine on the mar
ket at present--the crawler and tho
wheeled type. The purpose of the
crawler Is to prevent miring down on
soft ground. The same principle was
employed by tanks in the late war.
The wheeled tractors are more numer-
Gus and employ various devices to
obtain traction, such as Tugs, grouters,
spikes, cleats and extension rims.
Again, some wheels have device Civ.
ing n stepping arrangement, as In the
PIT wheel, which was developed by
two Italian army engineers. A few
/ tractors employ both the crawler and
wheel.
AS yet the tractor industry Is com
paratively young, and what Its ultl.
mate effect On farming will be 1t is I'M
possible to shy. The trend seems to
be toward motorized farms and the
elimination of horse power. This is
best shown by the fact that motor
trucks are being purchased by farm.
ers in ever-incrensng numbers and
that the motorized corn cultlvntor is
coming into use in increasing num-
bers.
There are two important problems
the solution Of which would no doubt
help the tractor Industry to n great
extent. These are the Standardized
ton of parts and uniform method OF
rating. Manufacturers have not over