Motor Farming Gains Ground.

Southland Times, Issue 19725, 27 January 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

Motor Farming Gains Ground.

Fanning is rapidly entering upon a new era; it has in fact euieml it. Tinmotor plough, harrow, cultivator, etc., are an existing fact, and ‘ a motor farm waggon has bocojno in some countries a necessity of ihe times. Here are some English ligures which are instructive enough to quote as given .Motor Cultivation —One day’s work, six acres ; interest, wear and tear, etc., 7s .‘hi; petrol, fils 9d ; man's wages, is—total, t! is, or -is an acre. Jiorse Cultivation —One day’s work, One acre ; two horses, (is (id ; man's wages, ss—total, I'ts Oil an acre. Cost of harvesting and threshing |(i acres by motor harvesler—Cutting and threshing, motor harvester, one day Ills ; petrol, lbs iid ; one motor man, Gs ; one man at stacks, Is ; one man at straw, -is ; binding twine, IGs (id ; carrying threshed corn and straw', motor waggon one day, 8s ; petrol, Ss ; one motor man, Gs ; two men loading and unloading, 8s ; stacking straw, two men, Ss : total costs of 10 acres, 91s, or 9s 5d per acre.

Cost of harvest mg ami threshing 1.0 acres by ordinary mentis —Cutting

(A) ..Motor harvester and cultivator. (LiJ -Motor waggon to carry 7 tuns. am. stacking, two horses and machine, ‘Js ; one man driving, Is ; three men stacking, .I ds i; binding twine, KisOcl; carrying sheaves, Ms; two men pitching, Ms j two men carting, 2Us ; five horses and carls,- 15s; slacking, two men building, Ms two men pitching, (Is ; two men dressing ricks, Ms ; thatching at Is Od per acre, 15s ; threshing 50 quarters at is, 50s —total coat of 10 acres, J7ls Od, or 17s 2d per acre. The steam trolley is getting into use in long-fanci, and where it is employed it displaces seven horses and saves a high percentage oi cost, thus; One year .with horse power (, ligures by a firm of Heading millers-; Horse food, £291 ; wages, two carters. C 1 dl IGs ; shoeing, etc., £3O Us 8d i; veterinary, £8 I.os Od repairs, ill- Ids Od ; interest, £2O ; depreciation, £SO i incidentals, £5 Os Idtotal, £520.

One year with sleuiir trolley (same work, same firm) —Wages, £9l ; cxtr a wages £9l ; extra wages £(57 12s ; repairs, £‘ll 7s ; oil, £U> 12 ; ; coal, 4T£- tons (motor rati 5275 mile;; and carried 3870 tons), £-19 ; insurance, £ll 18s: interest, £25; depreciation, £7<> : .incidentals, - /JL 19s 2d—total, £280,;

Eminent, authorities in.England dclarc that the farm motor is established and that the old plough will oon be a thing of the past. Motor luughing is gaining ground in Engand, in America and on the <-oilmen!, and in many places now the farmer takes his produce to market y motor, and practical ly_ has diseased with horseflesh entirely.