STEAM PLOUGH IN CALIFORNIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10819, 9 December 1902, Page 6

STE AM PLOUGH IN CALIFORNIA.

On some ot the 'greaif- farms "of the Far West — farms that may run. to 30,000 »r 40,000 acres — giant «team automobiles <Bn> now used to draw the agiicultural ,^cninery. The machinery .(says "Pea^spjis Ataga?ine) is supporjtcfl pn three , groat wheels, having tyres svfe,pt,pr5 v fe,pt,pr 6,/fept ut. width, so that they appear )ike euormoiis barrels of steel. On either Bide-^ a, huge sprocket chain encircles' tlie wheels, with links made of steel ♦ foot long and anjnch thick, each tested to, .withstand a pun, of 250 tons. In California ploughing is hard work, for .much of the soil consists, of stiff clay. But it is a simple. operation with ■ the- tractor, )y;heii- iv£qgs int°. the. fi.elds to' plough, from fifteen to' twenty ploughs are-hitched up behind-. The engineer pulls at/, his. contrplling lever, and., the 'plough slowly rolls' forward over the stubble. When the wheels have taken a' good grip •i and are rolling well, the engineer pulls his lever forward another notch "or iiwo, thp speed increases, and the ploughs are , ijteadily pulled through tlte ground, turning it over in, strips from 20 to^ 30 fept •wide, cutting" Wrpjigh the soil, to" a depth of .over a foot. Whereas three horses are .required, to pull a single plough through the' average Califor'ttfan. $eld, , anil <;a^i on )j P.? 0 " 1 ?^! 1 * ew »ct?3 in a the stpam plough will' make ready IQO acres for the seed* in-, two days. ;' . • •