Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-25

| tractors used were Chletly manulaC-
tured in the United States and they
were shipped abroad with all the eX-
| petition which circumstances per-
nitted. Literally thousands of them
were employed to break the virgin
| sods OF England which had lain I'M
der their coating OF grass for a
thousand years or more.
When the food crisis reached its
maximum in England she was, as III
| pre-War times, producing only about
enough food to, supply 40 per cent
of the needs of her population. AT
the close of the war she was pro
ducing more than 60 per cent OF hel
own needs, so that under the stress
| of a great national calamity, AIDED
| by the tractor and her devoted Wonl-
en-, she was able to accomplish what
she had never thought worth while
| or even possible in the happy days
of peace. Through the medium OF
the tractor England was able to
der the pillow. By using electric
headlights the machines were oper-
ated practically "a hours day, and
whatever their defects and faults
were able to control and operate
them successfully during the war
period. 1t is true these women were
intelligent and possibly some OF them
might even have been skilled me
chanics, but undoubtedly most of
with machinery, least of all trnc,,
| tors, when the war broke out, and
whatever skill and knowledge they
acquired relative to the handing OF
these machines was obtained as q
result of the necessity for increased
food production.
I cite this marvellous transfoSma
ton in the agricultural production
of England to show what the trac-
tor is capable of doing in an emer-
gency. 1t also establishes the fact
that these machines can be ham
died successfully by women as well
as men. 1t is illustrative as we'll
of the practical service they may
ly and judiciously handled. Inc
demonstration of itself, therefore,
should be sufficient to convince the
most reluctant of the wonderful in
ed to exercise on the agriculture of
this country in the not distant fu-
ture.
There is only one point about
which there seems to be uncertainty
in SO far as the experience Of Eng
the tractor proved very costly, but
that under war conditions this was
after all a relatively minor matter:
This may. be only rumor, as
have no chance to verify this state
ment. If it be true, however, pos
sibly there are some things to be
said on both sides of the question.
First, no doubt the cost of the gas
oline or oil used was very high, and
then possibly in spite of all the ac..
complishments in the matter of
driving these machines they may
not have been handled as economical
1y under war conditions as would pc
possible under peace conditions. III
any event, there seems reason to be-
lieve now that the pressure on man,
ufacturers has been relieved and
that our engineers and scientists can
turn their attention more definitely
and leisurely to tractor problemS'
that fuel costs can undoubtedly be
reduced and much greater efficiency
be secured in the operation of trac-
tors. I therefore look for the time
to arrive, if it has not already done
so. when they can do the work now
economically than it has been done one
in the past I am quite sure ct the
present time where the tractor Is
used on relatively large areas OF
land and where the rows are long
and straight and the land fairly level
that blowing and soil preparation
can be very cheaply and successfully
accomplished. On the other hand, L
think the farmer must recognize the
fact that we will need all the horses
and mules we have at present, par
ticularly in q state like Georgia, to
supplement the work performed by
our tractors In other words. 1t
would be a mistake to conclude that
we can use these machines for every
line of work on the farm previously
performed by work stock In other
words, the tractor will be a valuable
adjunct but not complete SuoSti-
tute for work stock. IhoSe, there-
fore. who fear there will be a great
declina ton in the number of horses
| and mules on our farms are IabOflng
under a false impression.
The objections to the tractor as
we have heard them stated are
First. The high initial cost.
Second. The difficulty of keeping
it in satisfactory repair.
Third. Inability to secure machln-
lists to operate them satisfactorily.
Fourth The grinding or cutting
out of the bearings, due to the fact
that they are not always protected
so as to prevent sand and dirt from
getting into them:
Fifth. Many of the. machines are
Sixth. Their inadaptability for use
on small farms.
Seventh The higher cost of OPP
GRAFTON as compared with the use
of horses and mules.
In answer to these 1T can be SAID
that there are exceptions to all rules,
that no doubt some of the types OF
machines now on the market are not
as well perfected as. they should be.
No doubt the cost of operating some
is much greater tina mothers: Doubt
less the machinists are difficult to
find Just at first hand, but why
should it be harder for a man, to
learn how to operate a tractor than
an automobile. We cannot see that
the tractor is as complicated in most
instances as the automobile. yet we
find thousands upon thousands of
individuals who can run automobiles
successfully. Under certain condi-
tions we can see that the ira ctor
the horse end mule power, but on the
other hand we are quite sure that
there are many circums stances and
conditions under which it would
prove most economical if handled