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

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two-plow tractors amounted TO $164
and of the three-plow $217. The an
nual cost of repairs, including tn
value of the owners time spent in re
pairing the tractors, was $50 for bot
the two-plow and three-plow sizes.
The fuel consumption per day 70
the two-plow tractors varied iron
about Is gallons for fall blowing t.
about IL gallons for drawing the ha.
loader. For the three-plow tractors l
varied from % gallons for blowing t.
Is gallons for drawing the hay loader
The two-plow tractors covered g.
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. rs
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 50 and with the
three-plow about 1920. The cost of
power for the blowing done with
horses on these farms was about $3.50
per acre. Based on the present costs
of keeping workstock, the cost Of
power for blowing with horses would
be about $1.90 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 for disk
ing with tractors was $0.67, with
horses, S0.64; for cutting grain with
tractors, $067; with horses, $3.50.
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 $1775.
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.
20 per cent of the total work
done by the tractors, and only 76 per
cent of the total annual charge for de-
repairs, and interest on in
Testment, Is included in 1t.
Tractor Reduces Number of Work
stock Needed.
On the 172 farms where there had
'een no change in acreage the num-
Ter of workstock had been reduced by
% head, an average reduction of 20
er cent. FOrty-four of these 172 men
ad not reduced the number Of work
took, GO had disposed of one or two
cad, 43 had disposed of three or four
cad, and % of more than four head.
IN these 172 farms one horse had
cen kept for each % acres (total
ores, not crop acres) before purchase
tractors, and at the time of the
urvey there was one horse for each
TT acres. For all the farms there
ad been an average of one horse for
ach 27.6 acres before purchase of |
FACTORS. and there was one for each |
10 acres at the time of the investiga-
on. On the farms where there had |
cen no change in acreage there had |
cen one horse for each 21.5 crop acres
efore the purchase Of tractors, and |
here was one for each % crop acres at
he time of the investigation.
Operating Costs May Be Reduced.
There were great variations on in
ividual farms in the cost of power
FINISHED by both horses and tractors;
nd by more careful management
any farmers could doubtless reduce
'is cost. Repair costs and fuel con-
imption of the tractors could in many
Uses have been reduced by more care
Il operation. The cost of keeping
could have been reduced on
any farms by more careful feeding
'actices.
The average annual cost of power
r the drawbar work on the home
I'm which was done with tractors
as equal to the cost of keeping 81
ad of workstock and this is prac-
ally the average number displaced
r farm. On the basis of present
ices, however, the cost OF keeping
has declined considerably
1re than the cost of operating trac-
rs.
Since, during the year covered by
e investigation, the cost of power on
2 average farm was no greater than
ii had all been furnished by horses,
Y saving in man labor costs, any
In due to getting a larger amount
work done in a given time, and any
Ter advantages connected with the
; OF tractors which cannot be meas
I'd directly in dollars and cents,
ght be considered clear profit II Is /,
lbtful, however If such gains were r
,at enough TO balance the cost Of /
Grating the tractors on many OF the \
ms where there was no change I'm h
reGge and where no 'rorkstoch wac d
,pIaccd