The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-05-07

acres per day in blowing and three
pillow machines SO acres. The amount
of fuel required per acre by the two
sizes was practically the same, 2.S
gallons for the two-plow and 81 gal
Ions for the three-plow tractors.
Difference in Flowing Costs.
The average cost per acre of power
for the blowing done with two-plow
tractors was about 81 and with the
three-plow about 1920. The cost or
power for the blowing done with
horses on these farms was about S2.9O
per acre. Based on the present costs
of keeping workstock, the cost or
power for blowing with horses would
be about S1.90 per acre. For most OF
the other operations the cost Of power
when furnished by horses was slightly
less than when furnished by tractors.
The cost per acre of power .Or disk
ing with tractors was $O.37, with
horses, $O.64; for cutting grain with
tractors, $O.67; with horses, $O.59.
These figures represent the cost OF
power only, and do not include either
the cost of man labor, or that OF the
implements used.
The average cost per day Of two
pillow tractors for drawbar work on
| the home farm was about $12.65, and
of three-plow tractors about SLID.
The total cost of power furnished by
| the tractors for drawbar work at home
during the year averaged $341. This
| drawbar work on the home farm con-
stituted 76 per cent of the total work
done by the tractors, and only 76 per
cent of the total annual charge for de-
probation, repairs, and interest on IN
vestment, is included In 1t.
Tractor Reduces Number of Work.
! stock Needed.
On the 172 farms where there had
been no change in acreage the num-
Der of workstock had been reduced by
% head, an average reduction of 26
per cent. Forty-four of these 172 men
had not reduced the, number of work
stock, 60 had disposed Of one or two
head, 43 had disposed of three or four
head, and % of more than four head
On these 172 farms one horse had
been kept for each % acres (tOtal
acres, not crop acres) before purchase
of tractors, and at the time of the
survey there was one horse for each
37.7 acres. For all the farms there
had been an average Of one horse fol
each 27.6 acres before purchase OF
. tractors, and there was one for each
. $40 acres at the time Of the investiga
ton. On the farms where there hat
. been no change I'm acreage there hat
been one horse for each 21.5 crop acre.
before the purchase of tractors. ant
there was one for each % crop acres a
, the time of the investigation.
Operating Costs May Be Reduced.
There were great variations on in
dividual farms in the cost Of powe
furnished by both horses and tractors
and by more careful management
, many farmers could doubtless reduc
this cost. Repair costs and fuel con
: sumption of the tractors could in man
: cases have been reduced by more care
, full operation. The cost of keepin
: workstock could have been reduced o.
many farms by more careful feedin
!, practices.
The average annual cost of powe
for the drawbar work on the HON
farm which was done with tractor
was equal to the cost of keeping 2
head of workstock and this is pra,
tically the average number displace
per farm. On the basis of preser
4 prices, however, the cost Of keepin
. workstock has declined considerabl
more than the cost of operating ira
tors.
Since, during the year covered B
the investigation, the cost Of power 9
= the average farm was no greater ths
= If 1t had all been furnished by horse
- any saving in man labor costs, ar
gain due to getting larger amour
= of work done In a given time, and al
J, other advantages connected with Il
= use of tractors which cannot be mea
- ured directly In dollars and cent
:, might be considered clear profit. 1t
a doubtful, however. If such gains we
great enough to balance the cost
:. operating the tractors on many Of Z
farms where there was no change
acreage and where no workstock W
displaced.