The modern dinosaurs B-FARM TRACTOR

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 16

The modern dinosaurs B-FARM TRACTOR

Once, a long time ago, horses helped the farmer pull his plough, harvest grain, and carry crops. Now the busy tractor does this work — and much more speedily and efficiently. Farm tractors work all the year round and they have front and rear attachments which equip them for a wide variety of jobs. They can plough, harrow, plant, fertilise, cultivate, and harvest. The

plough, for example, turns over the soil before planting, while the cultivator breaks up soil between rows of plants and buries weeds. When a farm tractor's wheels roll over the ground they create a special kind of friction — that is, the wheels push against the ground and the ground resists the motion and prevents the tyres from slipping. To aid this even more, large ridges

are built into the tyre surface. Some tractors are small but others are monsters and have wheels which are taller than men. One 1 giant is the turbo tractor. It is powered by a 175 hp turbo diesel engine and can pull a seven-bladed plough. It has circular discs placed alongside the blades which cut into the earth. They allow the i plough to turn the earth

without clogging the blades. A farm tractor can also help the farmer in another way. Many of them have a power take-off, which is a steel shaft extending from the back of the gearbox or from the side. The

power take-off is able to operate another machine, like a mower, while the tractor is moving. It can also operate a saw or pump while the tractor remains motionless. When a farmer has a

tractor he is able to produce greater crops, and provide more food. No wonder it is a common sight on almost every farm — the machine which works at many different jobs with strength.