Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-05

of a large number of types of ma
chimes to pillow land satisfactorily.
1t is said that with some of our
smallest types of tractors as much
as five acres can be turned over in
a day. Therefore, in twenty days
100 acres of land could probably be
prepared and seeded. but even if only
half of this amount were seeded it
would enable the farmer in a COM
paratively short period to prepare
and plant his land under the most
favorable of seasonal and soil condi-
lions. This is a tremendous factor
is the successful and economical pro-
duction of crops. Every one ac-
quainted with farming knows that a
difference in the date of planting of
not more than two weeks may mean
success Or failure with a certain
crop.
In buying a tractor one should
take into consideration number of
things. High-priced machines will in
my judgment last longer than low
priced machines. 1t seems reason
able to suppose this would be the
case because larger machine is
naturally constructed of heavier ma
terials and has more power and is
therefore able to perform a greater
variety of service work. 1t probably
does not suffer so much from vi
bration and 1t is likely it will not
have to be run at such high speed.
On big farms where there is much
heavy hauling to do and where silage
cutters and such other types of ma
chinery have to be operated by pow
er a machine of this type will no
doubt prove economical and desirable.
To the small farm it might or might
not be so well adapted, and under
such conditions it might be more
desirable to purchase a relatively
low-priced machine and replace this
type by another machine.
1t seems to be pretty we'll estab-
lished in the automobile industry
that almost any type of car will
give certain amount of service and
then tend to give trouble. So there
may be something in the argument
that relatively low-priced machine,
replaced more often than would be
possible where larger investments
are made, will prove the best thing
for the small farmer to buy.
AS to the operation of the tractor.
there should be no serious difficulty
about that, because there is no reason
to anticipate that any one capable
of caring for and driving an auto
mobile successfully cannot operate a
tractor. It is true that they are
complicated machines compared with
those which we have generally used
in our agriculture, but in many re-
spects their mechanism is compare
lively simple and 1t should not take
man of average intelligence long
to understand all that is essential
about their general repair and op-
GRAFTON. 1t is the purpose of the
College of Agriculture, for instance
to put on tractor school so that
we may be able to teach a very con-
siderable number of men how to han
die and operate machines of this
type. Then possibly these men can
act as instructors in other tractor
schools which could probably be or
ganized and held in various parts of
the state. Of course, the companies
selling these machines are willing.
and glad to demonstrate them to the
entire satisfaction of the purchaser.
and so it seems to me the matter of
operation should not be so very diff
ficult.
Not for Unskd1Ied Labor
On the other hand, it would seem
unwiSe to purchase a tractor and
turn it over to some unskilled indi-
vidual, such as negro laborer, and
expect him to handle it with ad-
vantage. These machines have some
more or less delicate mechanism
which can easily be gotten out of
order, and if not properly adjusted
they can very readily be put out of
commission. There are great many
people who have purchased tractors
and found them unsatisfactory. It
can be said, in justice to the ma
chimes, however, that the fault lay
more In the operator than with the
machine. There are people, for in
stance, in the animal husbandry
world who claim that the Jersey cow
has all the eXcellencies of the dairy
breeds and none of their faults
They have had a wonderful success
with the Jersey. There are other
men who are just as enthusiastic
about the Holstein or the Ayrshire.
The same identical thing will happen
with the tractor situation. One man
will buy certain type Of machine
and find it highly satisfactory, while
his neighbor may condemn 1t. In
the one case the man had a liking
for machinery and took some pride
in its operation. He learned some
thing of it's structure and character
istics and how to adjust the different
pieces of machinery so as to make
them coordinate and function proper
~. The other man looked upon the
otN,,
which he could drive by main
strength and awarkness and so
abused his machine, strained some of
it's parts got others out of adjust
nent, and the result was that in a
little while he had little better than
a piece of junk in his possession. 1t
is needless to point out that this
man would fail with any type of
machine.
The writer is we'll acquainted with
the fact that there are people who
I could not drive an automobile. 1t
makes no difference what type of
machine you give them it is out of
condition in a short time, yet the
man with the least mechanical in
stinct will be able to operate and
drive a machine of the same type
10000 miles with comparatively lit
tie work done in the way of re-
pairs.
The tractor has come to stay. 1t
will become increasingly common on
our farms. 1t is said that there are
some counties now that have as high
as 300 tractors in them. 1t is the
one means by which farm labor and
seasonal conditions can best be met
and controlled. 1t does not mean
that the horse and mule are to be dis
placed, but that the tractor is to
assume that part in our agricultural
economy which power machinery on
the farm is destined to occupy.
Get ready for the machinery age
in agriculture. Either prepare your
self to handle and onerate machin-