The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-05-06

prepared On the united states Depart
ment Of Agriculture
During October aud November, 1920, |
of the United States
Department of Agriculture visited 2S6
tractor-owners in Ohio, Indiana and
illinois. A complete record of all the
work done during the year both with
tractors and horses was obtained from
each farmer. Information from which
The cost of using the tractor and the
cost of maintaining the workstock
could be determined was also obtained.
The investigation was made through
the cooperative efforts of the bureau
Of animal industry, Office of farm man
agement and farm economics and the
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-
tons.
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 $50 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
five-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
1eO or more crop acres.
One hundred and six of the tractors
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 'tive-tenths days Of this was
drawbar work on the home farm,
81 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 sc
or more days work.
The number of workstock still
owned varied from two head on IL OF
the farms TO more than 10 on five OF
the large farms On the average there
were 6.S head per farm at the
time of the survey, and their value
was S145 per head. In all there were
1878 head Of workstock on the psf
farms and Ill colts less than one veal
Of age.
The average number Of full days
work per year per horse, for all farms
was $3.50. On 20 of the farms the
workstock did less than 40 full day.
work and on q they did 100 or NOR,
days work per year.
The tractors did So per cent Of tn,
blowing on these farms, 70 per cen
Of the disking, 43 per cent of the har
rowing, planting, rolling, and pack
ing, Al per cent of the grain cutting
and about IS per cent of the loading
and hauling of hay.
OF 267 men who did spring blowing
142 did it all with tractors, 121 use
both tractors and horses, sand fou
used horses only.
OF 225 who did fall blowing, 10
did it all with tractors, q used bot
tractors and horses, and eight use
horses only.
In all, the power for 80 per cent @
the drawbar work on these farms, a
measured by days Of horse labor re
quired for 1t, was furnished by tra'
tors and the remainder by horses.
The average cost per head Of keel
ing workstock on these farms for tn
year ending November /, 1920, wa
$3.50, and the average cost per farl
was S1.76.
Costs as Cents Daily to Feed Hors
|. Exclusive of grass and stalk pastur
the average ration per horse conslste
Of 1.3 tons Of hay II tons of stray
OF acre Of slower, 37.S bushels of cor
; and DOB bushels Of oats. The tot
cost Of feed per head was 1874. Base
on present prices (March. 1921, Il
cost Of feed per head would be o''o,
$50.
The average cost per day of hor'
labor for the year Of the survey W,
$2-43. Based on present prices the co
on these farms would be not far fro
$3.50 per day.
: The average first cost Of the tw
pillow tractors was 1912, OF the tire
pillow tractors $1,354, and Of all ira
tors $1,14O. The average amount spe
for equipment, mostly plows and disk
for use with tractors was about S34
The average value Of the horse draw
implements disposed Of after the pu
chnse Of the tractors was Sl2.
The average life Of these trac,o
- estinpted by their owners IL