The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-05-13

ment of Agriculture)
During October and November. 1872
representatives of the United State
Department of Agriculture visited rs
tractor-owners in Ohio, Indiana, an
Illinois. A complete record of all tn
work done during the year both wit
tractors and horses was obtained froI
each farmer. Information from whic
tine cost of using the tractor and tn
cost of maintaining the worxstoc
could be determined was also obtained
The investigation was made throug
the cooperative efforts Of the burea
Of animal industry, office of farm man
agement and farm economics and tn
bureau of public roads, In accordance
with plans outlined at the farm power
conference at Chicago, Ill.,. in October
1919. The object was to obtain infor
nation. In addition to that already
available in the Department of Agri-
culture, which would aid in determin-
ing advantageous forms of power for
different farms and different condi-
lions.
Farms Above Average in Size.
The average size of the farms Wis
tied was 25S acres. This is consider
ably above the average size of all
farms in these states.
Two-plow tractors were owned on
ia Of the 2S6 farms, three-plow trac-
tors on 104. and four-plow tractors on
six farms. One farmer owned a one
pillow machine, and one farmer owned
Il fve-plow machine. Two-plow ma
chimes were found on 70 per cent Of
the farms with less than 100 crop
acres, and on SO per cent of those with
Je0 or more crop acres.
One hundred and six of the tractors
had been in use one year, 100 had
been in use one and one-half or two
years, 40 had been in use two and one
half or three years, and 81 had been
in use more than three years.
On the average the tractors were
used for 30.S full days during the year
covered by the investigation. Twenty
three and five-tenths days of this was
drawbar work on the home farm,
2.7 days was belt work, and 4.6 days
was custom work. Seventy-three of
the 2S6 tractors did less than 20 days
work during the year and 20 did 80
Or more days work.
The number of wOrkstOck still |
owned varied from two head on IL of |
he farms to more than 10 on five of |
he large farms. On the average there |
we're 6.S head per farm at the
line of the survey, and their value
vas $145 per head. In all there were
,S7S head of wOrkstock on the 2S6
arms and Ill colts less than one year
I age.
The average number of full days
york per year per horse, for all farms
Tas CSC. On 20 of the farms the
Torkstock did less than 40 full days
'ork and ON % they did 100 or more
avs work per year.
The tractors did IS per cent of the
lowing on these farms, 70 per cent
{ the disking, 43 per cent Of the har-
,wing. planting, rolling. and pack
lg, Al per cent of the grain cutting,
nd about IS per cent of the loading
nd hauling of hay.
Of 267 men who did spring blowing,
~ did II all with tractors, 121 used
9TH tractors and horses, and four
sed horses only.
OF 225 who did fall blowing, 100
d 1t all with tractors, 81 used both
actors and horses, and eight used
)rses only.
In all, the power for 30 per cent of
e drawbar work on these farms, as
ensured by days OF horse labor re-
Tired for 1t, was furnished by trac-
rs and the remainder by horses.
The average cost per head of keep
e wOrkstock on these farms for the
ar ending November 1, 1920, was
50, and the average cost per farm
as $176.
,sts as Cents Daily to Feed Horse.
of grass and stalk pasture,
e average ration per horse consisted
1.3 tons of hay, - tons of straw,
acre Of slower, 37.S bushels of corn,
d 22.S bushels of oats. The total |
st of feed per head was S134. Based '
present prices March, 1920, the I
st Of feed per head would be 0hout {
0.
The average cost per day of horse [
)Or for the year of the survey was I
43. Based on present prices the cost Il
these farms would be not far from a
so per day. e
The average first cost of the two o
w tractors was 1912, of the three 0
wv tractors 1884, and of all trac- u
5 S1,14O. The average amount spent u
equipment, mostly plows and disks, n
use with tractors was about $340. d
e average value of the horse-drawn g
elements disposed of after the pur- o
Sc Of the tractors was So. Il
me average life of these tractors a
estinRted by their owners Is 81 d