White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-08-27
Machines That Are
Almost Human
The Robot Plowman
BY E. C.. TAYLiO r


G. CHEMISTS, in building robots,
y those soulless machines designed
to free mems hands from the bondage
OF labor, have not neglected the farm
er.
The farmer, Of course, benefits along
with the rest Of humanity from the
radio and similar machines of this
age of mechanical wizardy, but new
device has been built for his especial
benefit. OF course it has only been
! demonstrated as yet, and it may be
many years before it will be seen on
the farms Of the country, but 1t has
been shown to the public, and it
worked.
1t is the robot plowman. Imagine
having mechanical man to perform
that most tedious of farm tasks, the
spring blowing.
At the University of Nebraska col
lege Of agriculture there recently was
demonstrated a remarkable tractor
that ran by itself and successfully
plowed 20 acre field.
The operator guided it once around
the field, leaving furrow around the
outside edge of the field to be plowed.
Then he started the engine of the
tractor, with one front wheel Of the
tractor in the furrow already plowed,
and a metal guide on the front Of the
tractor did the rest.
The robot tractor chugged along the
constantly diminishing area, and did
not stop until the whole field was
plowed. Then it came to rest in the
center Of the field, and the operator
went out and drove his robot plow-
man into the garage.
This mechanical plowman has de-
vice attached to it that prevents ac-
cidents. An automatic cutoff stops
the tractor instantly in case the pillow
hits rock or other obstruction while
the machine is in operation or when
ever the front wheel leaves the plowed
furrow that guides it around the field.
The device used to operate the ro-
bot plowman was similar to that used
to operate ships trains and airplanes
without human being aboard them.
The robot, through the levers that
serve as arms and hands, starts, stops
and steers this wonderful machine,
while sets of wheels, magnets and
electric cells inside it supply the en-
ergy for it to perform it's task.
This particular mechanical plow-
man was started by the operator pull
ing lever. 1t could easily be made
to- start at command by spoken
words. Science could build machine
that would do the blowing while the
farmer sat on his porch and shouted
his orders to the robot across the
| field. ,ri5
Huge harvestors, threshing ma
chimes, reapers, corn cutters and
shockers and other farm implements
could be operated by this robot just
as easily as the tractor was operated
in the demonstration at the University
of Nebraska.
Farm engineers have produced spe-
cial electric headlights for tractors
| and flood lights for the fields to en-
| able farmers to work after dark dur
| .HS Ill0lT IuSH SOdSOAI, Oul IAAo Nv
| vice merely makes it possible for the
farmer to do his own work for more
hours each day. The robot, however,
when the age Of mechanical men
comes into it's own, will do the work
for him.
Scientists are constantly at work
to tighten the burden of farm tasks
and to increase the yield from the
soil. New devices that produce almost
miraculous results are now in use,
and more are foreseen as scientists
continue their experiments.
The use Of the ultraviolet ray, that
source of mysterious power, is con-
stantly being broadened on the farm.
Machines spreading artificial day.
light in poultry houses make the
hens lay more eggs, and increase the
growth of poultry for the market.
The use of these rays directly, or
indirectly by subjecting fertilizers to
them, is speeding up productivity OF
the soil, doubling the size and num-
Der of the crops.
"a. 1881. Western Newspaper Union.)