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Show THE FORD TRACTOR We have received a great many enquiries en-quiries concerning the Ford tractor. I am asked when it will appear, how much it will cogt, what it will do, and just exactly what it is? The following is about all that the public knows about tho Ford tractor, and by "tho public" is meant everybody every-body outside of the designing room of the Ford Motor Company: Tho machine made its first public appearance nt the Michigan State fair. It was put through a number of tests nnd given a public demonstration demon-stration at that time. This was in the way of letting the public know that there really and truly was such a tractor and that it would bo on tho mnrkct in commercial form in a comparatively com-paratively short time. How long it will be before the tractor can be purchased, pur-chased, it is impossible to ascertain. Tho company is reticent, sinco this tt actor will not be sold until it is absolutely ab-solutely satisfactory and complete in every detail. Tho most rigid and searching tests are being made continually, con-tinually, and any weak spot which develops means a change in design for the betterment of tho pnrt. We, (the local agents) havo only hearsay for what follows. It is unofficial, un-official, sinco the Ford Motor company will not commit theniHclvcs. They will not state whether or not tho present pres-ent form of tho tractor will be tho final form, although it has worked out satisfactorily to date. The tractor has been tried out, not only in it's ability to draw plows, cultivators, cul-tivators, and other farm implements, but likewise as a locomotive for the conveying of heavy loads. It has recently re-cently completed a satisfactory run to Cleveland from Detroit over only fairly fair-ly good roads, pulling a 5-ton trailer over the 1G0 miles of tho journey, at a 1(5 miles per hour average. A trip has also been made with a seven ton tiniler, at not quito so great a speed, but without any faltoring. As to its ability as a farm tractor, tho machine can plow from 5 to 10 ac- j res of land a day, depending of course on the depth of the cut nnd tho tex-tuio tex-tuio of tho soil. It will plow with one share 1G inches wide nnd with two shares 12 inches wide. The tractor is equipped to burn kerosene, ker-osene, and for that purpose uses a Holly carburetor. When working nt full capacity it uses about one gallon of this fuel an hour. The cost of tho vehicle will bo about ' $250 to $300. (This of course is undecided, unde-cided, but in all probability it will bo about this figure.) In addition to plowing, it can haul loads of a weight that a team could never handle at all, and average speeds that a horse cannot reach, ev-sh ev-sh where he is galloping hour after hour. It can pull every form of cultivator, cul-tivator, or any other implement that is necessary in the fields. The present form of the Ford tractor trac-tor has the same radiator and hood as the touring car, but there the resemblance resemb-lance ends. Tho front wheels are of the artillery type and havo solid rubber rub-ber tires. The regular Ford hood is hanged by placing a cylindrical 10 ?allon tank on each side. One tank holds the fuel, and tho other contains con-tains a supply of water for tho cooling cool-ing system. This is made necessary by tho fact that tho tractor must work with the throttle pretty well open md while traveling at a very slow ipeed all the time, and with the or-'inary or-'inary cooling system it would heat very shortly; but this 10 gallon aux-liary aux-liary tank keeps tho temperature norninl. The rear axle of tho tractor is its most unusual feature. This consists of a very heavy steel housing, which encloses a worm gear. By means of this worm a reduction of over 30 to 1 between nxle and engino is obtained. The transmission remains, savo that the low speed gives reduction of about 75 to 1. Tho creaping surfaco has been increased. In tho present form this vehicle hns no body. It is built with a single seat much like the seats which are nlaccd on farm implements. This is on the left hand side us on tho touring car. It is very probable that changes, ' both externnlly and internally, will be ' made in this machine, before it is finally fin-ally given to the public. It has proven, prov-en, so far, entirely satisfactory, but Mr. Ford and the Ford Motor company, com-pany, may decide to make some changes chang-es in order to protect tho users from nny additional expense. The company is experimenting and working continually, contin-ually, ns they realize the tremendous demand there will bo for this vehicle just as soon as it can be produced. J. H. FIFE, Local Agent. |