Belt Valley times., 1925-08-06
Use of Power on
Farms, Big Item
Agricultural Worker Able
to Till Three Times as
Many Acres.
Prepared hy the unitsd States Department
OF Agriruiture.l

Il OF AEftINltAFSsf
AS result OF the increased use OF
power and labor-saving machinery In
farming operations and the opening Of
new lands well suited TO the use OF
machinery the. average agricultural
worker Ia the United States is now
able to care for almost three times as
many acres OF crops as an individual
could handle rs years ago. according
TO a study recently made by the divi-
sion Of agricultural engineering Of the
United States Department OF Agricul-
ture. At the same time the hours OF
labor on the farm have been reduced
and farmers have been relieved OF
much Of the monotony and drudgery
which formerly characterized their
work.
Pognr and labor together account
for abs pximately 90 per cent OF the
total cost OF farming and 8 better
knowledge Of the power requirements
Of farm operations and the adoption
OF more eficient types Of power units
Will do much to cut down production
costs.
Second Only 70 Railroads.
The primary horse power available
for use on farms is greater than that
used In mining and manufacturing,
and Is second only to that required for
railroads. The total power used an
nually on farms amounts to nearly Ia
OO0O00,0O0 horsepower hours and the
annual cost amounts TO q total Of near
ly $1,000 100000.
Up to the present little scientific
study has been made OF the basic
power requirements of various farm
operations Although the plow ls one
OF the oldest agricultural tools for
which power is required. the funda-
mental requirements OF plow design
are still unknown and no satisfactory !,
method Of measuring the actual work
done by a plow has yet been discov-
cred. The University OF Wisconsin has
conducted experiments which show
that II is possible to run an ensilage
cutter with one-half the power ordi-
narily used by this machine simply by
employing proper speeds and an Inn
proved blower.
Farm power is derived from AMI
mails. gas engines. (including tractors,
trucks and automobllesl steam engines
and electric. wind and water motors.
Up 10 about sixty years ago little
power other than that furnished BY
animals was available to farmers. The
small gas tractor. the truck, the auto
mobile and electric power have only
become important as sources OF farm
power within the last ten or twelve
years.
The estimated total numbers OF pow
er units now on fnrms In the United
stares Is as follows:
Horses ...............s.s l6,91e,000
Mules ................s.... s'eof'vVV
Oxen .-,.....s ...'..s.'..s.. .yv'gvy !
.....s.-........'sss tyv,Vvv
Trucks ................ssss es1sVvv
engines. .....,.a... x,b00, 600 Z
Electric Installations. 100000
Vtndmflls ..,...............s 100000
automobiles ....4........s... fseeo'V0V 2
Great opportunities exist for the cut
ing down OF the cost OF farm opera
ions through the reduction IN the la
or requirements OF each operation
nd by q better application Of the
over used Before such savings can
e effected, however II Is necessary to =
iake q thorough study Of the basic .
over requirements, and Of the fac
1rs which affect these requirements. "
mong these are: Climate. character =
Z the soil. depth Of plowing cuItivat- =
grete- condition Of the crop. size y =.
fields. size and type Of power units =
seded and mechanical efficiency Of =
le tools or machines employed by the -
lrmer. -
Topography 8 Factor. = =
Topography Is factor TO be reck. th
led with In considering the power re-
Iirements Of farms IN any particular
cality. IN the Central West the lant
.neralIy is smooth and Is not cut by
any streams or rayines This con- =
tlOn encourages the laying out Of =
rye fields and makes possible the use
large machines and power units. In er
lstern and Southern states, howexer,
s land Is frequently hiliy and cut by
vines and streams making small and an
fields necessary. This
course, discourages the uss Of large
lcEInes and results in q predomi. sig
nee Of small farms.
Probably the most serious drawback
the efficient use Of power ia agricui- nc
e ls the extreme seasonal demand. frs
each type of farming followed there
usually some single operation which
Iuirea q large amount OF power for ME
limited time and n Is usually this me
srafion which determines the mini
"a amount Of primary power that
81 be ayaiiable. In the corn OF cot pro
belt the operation requiring the aff.
xifnum power ls that Of planting or
sIvafing haz or small grain Il IL "a
xesting. Such conditions result In this
II sa termed q low-power load fac Hat
ana = kgwh nr.af nag matt NJ fnzWaq / .f !