OIL TRACTOR IN FARMING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15549, 5 March 1914, Page 12

OIL TRACTOR IN FARMING

CULTIVATING •at NINEPENCE AN ACRE. : An interesting account of work done by the oil tractor comes from Ultima, in the malice. The one-way cultivator is found of great value in dealing with the lighter inallco soils. There are some reputable authorities who incline to the view that this implement, if judiciously used, can very largely be made to take the place of an ordinary plough in so far as these northern soils are concerned. In the caso under review the Ultima farmer attached several one-way cultivators behind his oil tractor until as the machine, moved along it left behind it a track of upturned soil 24ft in width. It is estimated that the cost of working the soil under this system did not amount to more than 9d an acre. In another case.in the malee a farmer used Lid oil tractor for harrowing, and was enabled to deal with a width of 60ft at a time. The cost of such tillage was natur ally very small. A Nathalia Example. Probably one of the most enthusiastic users of the oil tractor is Mr. A. E. Neeld, of Nathalia. The firm of which hi is a member has now had one iu fairly constant use for nearly three years. In addi- | tion to ploughing, at the rate of an acre »u hour, tho tractor has proved of value in cultivating, harvesting, chaff cutting, and the transport of grain to tho railway station. All those operations, it is stated, have been efficiently performed, and at a cost lower than is involved where the work is done by teams, i'lie experience 01 the Neelds with the one machine was so satisfactory that a second one was ordered. The harvesting was managed—not withou' somo difficulty— attaching three harvesters in echelon formation behind the tractor. The problem of side draught had to be solved, and for the purposes of the test was solved. The experience gained suggested a new method of equalising the draught, which is now in course of completion, and from which good results are confidently.expected. Mr. Neeld's observation leads him to favour an extra large tractor drawn harvester, equipped with a special platform on which an assistant can stand. The latter will bap the wheat as tho Kins are filled, sew the bags and then unload them on to the ground as" the machine continues its round In this direction it, is believed, there aw great possibilities of reducing the simple operations of harvesting as they are carried out in most Australian wheatnelds. Scrnb Rolling.

One farmer in the mallee Wis already adapted his oil tractor to the rolling of mtillee scrub. In this case the tractor takes the place of a team and drags the ordinary malice roller behind. The results obtained are described as being wholly satisfactory, , the work being done in a 'thorough manner, and at a lower cost than is possible where teams are used. What on the. face of it appears to be a, better system of utilising the oil tractor for scrub rolling has been devised by another fanner. Ho affixed two strong steel girders on to- the- front of the machine, one standing about 4ft, and the other about Ift above the level of tHo ground. In addition, side rollers wer» attached to the fore part of the engine. Thus .-•equipped the oil tractor ; charges .at the scrub, and . rolls it down ; as it proceeds on its course.' Accordirig.to experts this ; considered the most promising method 'of using the tractor for scrub rolling, and it-is ;believed that in this direction the machine Trill prove ;of material assistance in preparing scrub land for cultivation. > 'rk'ff Improving 'plough, Country. :f. ] In- several districts of 1 ' the. State there are extensive areas'of rich volcanic land •which, if. rightly treated, ■would at once 'be in demand ; for cultivation purposes. In " such cases the "< land ?is * frequently full" of • crab holes, and its surface is moreover 'exceedingly stiff. 'To convert such a type of land into well tilled fields is a problem de--mandihg more strength than the ordinary team can supply. ; A Dopnybrpok landowner, faced with, this problem, -invested in'an oil tractor, and with this as motive power •. disked | up recalcitrant-looking acres. . The soil was, of course, thrown up *« in large clods, but theserwcre'easily reduced ■by 1 ordinaryimethods of treatment. Then "a grading ; implement < was 2 put. into ; commission, and the crab holes were'soon filled '"up. . The result is thit'an apparently useless piece of land--stored with valuable elements <of fertility—is .now in. excellent <?and even tilth,'and bears favourable com- ." parison amcrg other tillage' examples."■'■' *■* ** :., Necessary Precautions. - *.' '■ ".*' r ■■ ■'■ : : -. ' " .'."-*:'• - ■V " '•" .' :i| All purchasers oi "tractors have not had . the fortunate experience I described in ■;thi» article. "As was to have been expected * there have been some cases in which ..the • purchaser failed 'to ' get his -■ machine ". to j work satisfactorily. How far the fault lay with the' man, and ; not* with the "machine ; cannot, of course, b<i determined. The fact that there have been such failures points to . the wisdom of each intending buyer 'making , a thorough study of the 'tractor before *&i----ially purchasing it. If the intention of the fanner \js; that his son'should work the tractor—and - this is the general practiceit is strongly advised that the son should " ,bo sent to the factory ,for .a , month; in order to be thoroughly trained in the manipulation of, the machine. ; This .'is, a plan which ' a Victorian firm specialising in the construction of : oil tractors strongly recommends, > and if lias been; noticed that'the best results •' have always :^b«en K obtained where the future-driver Lob thus been thoroughly schooled in his duties. - This firm makes a feature of thoroughly training the purchasers of oil tractors or their representatives in their factory where the machines are made, and preferably with the identical ■ tractor which the trainee will be required to operate. - ,\ The Question of Fuel. ! ' ; As a very general rule oil tractors are built to work on benzine, whose flashing point is considerably • lower than that of kerosene. For that reason the . railway ~ authorities demand t,a* much higher; freight when transporting it. Benzine has of late risen in price., and some authorities incline to the belief that.further, developments-in the same direction may be expected. At present, although benzine has about twice the thermal efficiency of a similar quantity of kerosene, its cost is likely to prohibit its general use. This will be particularly the case in country districts, where adverse freights are likely to still further enhance its cost to the user. Kerosene, on the other hand, is not only a poorer source of power, but its tendency to carbonise and corrode the vital organs of the tractor add to its disadvantages trom a consumer* point of view. Crude petroleum, on the other hand, is a rich source of energy, costs about half the price of kerosene, and will be carried by the railways at about the same rates. Those intending to buy oij tractors should carefully scrutinise this point. It is important that the machine ehould be arranged to use any of the three fuels mentioned, and not benzine only. Had crude petroleum been used in the instances mentioned in this article the' cost of ploughing would probably have been reduced by from Is to Is 6d an acre. The significance of this face-is emphasised when it is learnt that oil tractors are now procurable in Victoria which will work equally well with benzine, keroiene, or crude petroleum. -