Agrimotor Tests at Cambridge.
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Demonstration of Two Agricultural Motor Tractors, the Whiting Standard and the Bull.
The Cambridge University Farm was the scene, on Thursday, the 8th inst., of the demonstration of two agricultural-motor tractors which were made in, and imported from, America, tire Standard and the Bull, the agency for which in Great Britain is held by Whiting (1915), Ltd., of 334-340, Euston Road, N.W. The ground was hard on the surface, frozen and slightly mantled with powdery snow, but was otherwise fairly loose. By the time the machines were ready for action, in spite of the icy wind a good number of people had assembled; it was interesting to see two or three ladies, evidently keenly intereated in the tests from a purely business point of view, amongst them.
Preliminary Adjustments.
There was no difficulty experienced in starting, but some time was expended in adjusting the machines for use, and in affixing the cleats, or cone-shaped spuds, 3 ins, long, which are set On the driving wheel of each at irregular intervals, to assist traction, and to penetrate the ground deeper than the cut of the ploughshare, thus further loosening the soil.
e30 Ground Too Small for Adequate Work.
The ground available for ploughing was much too small, as its area did not admit of demonstrating the capabilities of an agrimotor as it turns on the headland. This was a disappointment, as the behaviour of a motor plough at the headland is a most important point, and one which should be closely observed and compared with the horse-drawn machine. There should be no necessity for manceuvring, and no tearing-up of ground, or trampling down of turned-over earth. Ordinarily, the amount of headland left unploughed by a horse-drawn plough is four yards. The strip of land was about 200 yds. long by 75 yds. wide, and consisted of good soil frozen fairly hard; but which had formerly been under the plough. This was not exactly ideal for a tractor demonstration. • Behaviour at the Headlands.
The two tractors started off at approximately the same time, the Standard, to which a Ransorne three-furrow plough was attached, down the middle of the land, and the Bull, drawing a Case two-fur row plough, at the side. The ground, as stated, was about 200 yds. long, and this was covered by the Standard in about 4 mins, the Bull going slightly more quickly, drawing as it did the lighter and more compact two-furrow plough. and driven and steered by one man only, he being seated on the tractor. The three-furrow plough needed very careful steering, and two operators were required, one to drive the tractor, the other to steer the plough. At the headland, a minute elapsed before the Standard was able to turn, and come back, the engine reversing and turning, the plough being unhitched and recoupled. The Bull tractor came along the headland, the ploughshare lifted, leaving an unploughed headland of about. seven or eight yards in width, and returned; ploughing, along the other side of the plot..
One Tractor Self-steering.
We were unable to see the Bull tractor using the three-furrow plough, as there were no means at hand for attaching this plough to the tractor. Once turned, the Bull can go by itself, the steering wheel running in the furrow last
ploughed, in line with the driving wheel, thus rendering. the tractor automatically self-steering, so that the driver can walk beside the machine whenever he wishes. A short demonstration was given with a woman-driver, who seemed quite
capable of attending to the tractor. Circumstances prevented our testing the acreage ploughed by either tractor, per hour, or the amount of paraffin consumed per acre.
No Engine Troubles.
There we-re no engine troubles during the period the machines were in operation, but at one time the Standard, with the three-furrow plough, had to stop on account of a slight " mix-up with the ploughed earth at the side. The difficulty was soon surmounted, • however, by reversing for a while, and hitching the plough to the other end of the drawbar. This reversing facility is a feature to be commended, as it renders the tractor easy in manipulation to the new driver who has not exactly arrived at the lay of the land. It also cam-e in useful when turning at the headland in this case, although, ordinarily, the tractor and plough should . sweep round without halt, the ploughshare being lifted as the tractor turns the right angle, and dropped again, immediately it turns the second right-angle and beginS the return journey.
The furrows cut by each plough were-satisfactory, of even depth, about 6 ins., the ground being well turned, Test a Success.
The test was successful so far as it went, but in order to pronounce definitely on the merits of the two tractors it would be necessary to witneps them in operation over virgin soil, drawing in turn twofurrow and three-furrow ploughs, and on ground big enough to see them operated in the best manner for economical and time-saving ploughing. One fact is outstanding in all agrimotor tests, and that is the fact that agrimotors are capable of doing work that would have been impossible of accomplishment
in the same ' time by horse-drawn ploughs, and that, as such, they are invaluable in times of stress like the present.
The Whiting Standard.
The Whiting Standard was described in our issue of the 23rd November, 1916. The tractor is
comparatively light, the frame being substantial and well trussed, but not unduly heavy. The engine is a 20 h.p. four-cylinder with overhead valves, placed at right angles to the main-frame aids, -the radiator being at the end, on the off side of the chassis. It is easily accessible. There is one forward and one reverse speed; the final drive is by means of a single roller chain, no differential gear being provided between the two driven wheels, We are informed that the machine can turn on a curve of 15 ft. radius,.by reason of the short distance :between the two driving wheels. The steering gear is a double reduction by bevel gear, spur pinion and sector. One lever operates clutch and gears, according to manipulation.
The Bull.
The Bull tractor has an engine of the horizontal two-cylinder type, with a guaranteed maximum h.p. at the belt of 20, and at the drawbar of 7. The employment of two camshafts renders accessibility easier: Some special features of the tractor are, the driving wheel, 5 ft. in diameter, 12 ins, wide, which runs in the furrow without packing the land, the patent steering wheel al. ready mentioned, a levelling device for bill-sides,,or deep furrows, and the cleats, 3 ins, long, for setting on the driving wheel, enabling one to plough 6 or 7 ins, deep, and yet get,9 or 10 ins, depth of cultivation. The total weight is given as 1 ton 19 cwt. 1 qr., the weight being distributed as follows : 211 cwt. on the driving wheel ; 91 cwt. on the land wheel, this being the weight on the unploughed land ; and 8 cwt. on the steering wheel. The-engine is stated to work equally well on paraffin as on petrol.