Ploughing the Land on Oil Fuel.
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Fuel Costing Less than is. Per Acre.
Few people outside the farming world realize the importance of ploughing the land cheaply, and its influence on the cost of food production. A farmer generally estimates that it costs him anything from 10s. to 15s. an acre each time he ploughs the land by horsedrawn implements, or, if he should hire the steam plough to do the work, the contract price generally ranges from 10s. to 12s. an acre for the hire of the machinery, to which amount he has to add the cost of the coal used, as well as the cost of its cartage from the nearest station—perhaps many miles away from his farm. At the same time, he has to supply horse labour to cart the water for the steam engines. Taken altogether, the cost to the farmer for the ploughing of his land by steam power totals something in the neighbourhood of 15s. to 16s, an acre, but it enables him to do the work at the proper season when it ought to be done. Messrs. Saunderson and Gifkins, who are among the pioneers in the introduction and use of agricultural motors, have handed to us extremely interesting data and figures regarding the cost of ploughing by agricultural oil tractor. They report that they have recently been conducting a number of ploughing contracts for farmers, which contracts have been carried out by Saunderson tractors ; accurate costs and figures were kept of these tests, and as they worked out so favourably for the machines in question, it was thought desirable to call in the assistance of some eminent and independent engineer of repute to velify the figures. Accordingly, arrangements were made with Mr. W. Worby Beaumont, M.1.C.E., M.1.M.E., M.I.E.E., to conduct a series of tests, and a copy of Mr. Beaumont's report and tests have been handed to us ; some extracts from the tables, therein given, are reproduced herewith.
From Mr. Beaumont's report it would seem that model V Saunderson agricultural tractor is capable of ploughing land at the rate of over 11 acre an hour on a fuel consumption of about 2i gallons of petrol ; the same machine is also shown to be capable of ploughing at a similar rate on paraffin oil. The cost of paraffin oil used buying it in bulk, on the date of the test, was 3;d. per gallon. It is quite out of the question that coal for a steam engine could be drawn to the field of operations at so low a cost as 9d. an acre, setting aside the question of purchase entirely, and the figures we have received from Messrs. Saunderson and Gifkins, corroborated by Mr. Worby Beaumont, afford additional evidence that the success of oil tractors on the land is definitely assured. By that means can a farmer best plough his land cheaply and quickly.
During the month of harvest the same machine may be utilized for the hauling of two self-binders, which can cut and tie the corn at one operation, at the rate of four acres an hour. After harvesting operations are completed the farmer may have his grain carted by horse-drawn vehicles, or by mechanical power if he wishes ; meanwhile, the tractor is free to commence the autumn ploughing weeks before he could otherwise make a start, and this insures that the farmer can turn up his land while it is yet dry, and in a fit state for cultivation, at a cost that has hitherto never been thought of. During the wet winter months it is undesirable to till soil which is in an unfit condition, but hitherto the farmer has been compelled to do so for want of cheap power at his command when he requires it, and the limited capacity of his horse teams. His ploughing operations must be carried out over a long period. During the winter months an agricultural tractor can be used for threshing, driving machinery, grinding, hauling grain to the market, and for many other purposes. When it is lying idle it eats nothing arid costs nothing to look after, whilst, unlike horses, it can be worked hour after hour, both day and night.
There is no business that requires the work done at the proper time so much as agriculture. Soil which is tilled during the summer season becomes friable and productive, but when tilled while in a wet and unsuitable condition it becomes plastic, it readily bakes under the summer sun, and is unsuitable for plant germination. Farmers undoubtedly will soon become alive to the importance of these machines now that. indisputable figures can be shown that the cost of the work they do is much less than hitherto.
Referring to Mr. Worby Beaumont's report, the ploughing of an acre of land occupied 33 minutes, and cost 5s., which amount is made up as follows —Labour of two men for 33 minutes, say, 6d. ; fuel consumed, 9d. ; lubricating oil may roughly be taken at about 2d. ; plough shares, 5d. ; repairs, interest on capital, depreciation, etc., on the basis of 33i per cent. on the original outlay, 3s. 2d,