The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1921-09-02
TALK TO FARMERS
By. T. T. Peck.
POWER FARMING.

As to whether the tractor can be
substituted for the mule on the farm
depends on the character of the farm
whether it is comparatively level or
is a farm of steep hillsides, whether
the fields are large or cut into small
tracts by roads or streams that can
not be closed. The acreage of the
farm must also be considered.
1t is certain that the mule
will not be eliminated, for some farm
operations, for long time.
While that is true, the farm trac-
tor can be used with increased profit
on the majority of farms, because
land can be broken during the hot fall
months when the land is too dry for
team work. The subsoil is dry
enough. Subsoiling should never be
done when it is wet. The tractor can
work long hours. Ground can be pre-
pared in less time and more thorough
ly with a tractor. Tractor cultivators
are being manufactured that furnish
motive power for the cultivating
season.
The tractors usefulness is not con-
fined to preparing the soil and cult
waiting the crops. 1t can furnish sat
isfactory power for grinding the
grain, cutting ensilage, shredding
corn, cutting hay for mixing, grind
ing limestone, and furnishing power
for the farm repair shop and saving
wood.
To make the tractor profitable on
the farm, the farmer must keep it en-
ployed. He can do SO if his farm has
sufficient acreage, or he can arrange
to do the tractor work for his neigh
bors whose farms are not large
enough to justify the purchase of a
tractor. Communities of small farm
ers could cooperate in their farm OPP
erations and get the benefit Of the
best in labor saving machinery by
having volume of work to justify the
investment.
In buying tractors or any kind of
expensive farm machinery, buy only
from dealers who maintain a service
department, to insure your getting
service out of your investment / have
known a few cases where tractors
were sold by dealers who get their
money, delivered the tractor and left
the farmer uninstructed as to its OPP
Grafton. The purchaser got no ben
eft, could not successfully operate
the tractor, and returned to the use of
mules. Later another tractor com
pany, giving service, placed tractors
in that neighborhood, staying with
the purchasers until they could sue
cessfully operate them. The first
tractor sold was one of the best made,
but the tractor was practically given
away by the farmer, after which he
bought the other machine, was in
structed in its operation, and is well
satisfied with it.
The manufacturer Of power farm
machinery who expects to build up a
permanent business will find it profit
able to install a service department
and make it efficient.
! expect to see power farming i'm
plements grow in popularity and use
on the farm just in proportion to the
efficiency of the service departments
of the organizations selling them.
with fairly level land, reasonably
sized fields and expert operators for
using power farm machinery, it will
be found profitable.
We can not return to the haphaz-
ard methods of farming. We need
and can use intelligent farm labor and
we must have regard for the value of
time in our farm operations. Effici-
ency, thoroughness and energy will
pay dividends on the farm as readily
as elsewhere.