Show I r r J II SURVEY SHOWS DIFFERENCE IN COST OF TRACTOR AND HORSES I Prepared by bT the United States State Department of at Agriculture The cost of ot power on tractor farms In tho the winter wheat belt Is somewhat greater than when t are used for all the work according to the results of ot a survey by the United States Department De- De Department Department De De- of Agriculture A preliminary prelim inary report Just Issued shows however however how how- ever ever that three fourths of ot the tractor owners were of ot the opinion that their tractors were proving profitable This survey sur shows differences In the cost of ot power and labor due to the use uee of t tractors the work done with them them- and the cost per acre for tor different operations op ope both with horses and tractors Some tractor owners in IIi northern Oklahoma Kansas and southern Nebraska No- No braska were visited and a complete record of all nil work done with tra tractors tors and horses during the year was ob ob- obtained together with statements concerning concerning con the farm farmers farmers' rs' rs opinions of or the advantages and disadvantages of ot using tractors The farms averaged about roo acres in size on which acres of crops were grown in 1021 1921 nearly three-fourths three of ot the crop area orea being In fn wheat The cost of ot using tractors for draw draw- raw bar work on these farms averaged for the year ear or per pel hour These farmers were keeping an nn average overage of ot 83 head bead of t work stock In addition to toI tot I I t I MI M I I J 1 l J OJ 1 iJ 1 t f Fi j W 1 jI i H aa q W. W I 1 ar J lr J It f it l 1 o. o t t 1 H. H I uses used to tor 1 DisKing their tractors and the cost per farm of ot keeping the worl- worl stock wor stock for the year e r was Thus the total annual cost of power er for work work was 1025 The tractors furnished hed the POW power l' l for tor 40 per p r cent of the work Variations in Cost of Power f There were great variations in In the practices and costs on individual farms and the results Indicate that often the cost of ot using the thc tractors tractors and keeping the work stock was e excessive ces- ces save sive tor the amount of ot worK done Many tractor owners have bave not determined deter deter- determined mined exactly what work they cnn can use se th their lr tractors for tor most profitably and what should be e done with horses The average n cost per crop acre was per year for I power for for all oU the farms This cost ranged from as the average for tor the fourth of the the farms with lowest c costs to for the fourth of ot the farms with highest highest high high- est costs Tl The tr tractors hal been In la use for 23 months months' on an average and the first cost had been 1473 about third one-third higher than the present price of ot tractors tractors trac trae 1 tors of ot same size and type During Dur ing lag the year ear covered by the Investigation II lion tion the cost of ot fuel and oil oU was also somewhat higher than at present On i iI I account of these lower prices It is I estimated that the present cost of ot operating operating op op- tractors purchased at current I prices would be b something like 25 per percent per percent cent below v the tho 1 1921 21 cost coston on these farms Tractors Reduce Horses and L Labor The effect of ot the addition of the i tractor to the farm fann equipment wits was I shown In changes recorded after atter the I purchase of ot the tractor On an average average average aver aver- age these farms had hod been Increased by 50 crop acres and there had been beena a o reduction of ot 14 months in the amount of ot regular labor used Three and third one-third head of ot work stock In addition to those on hand at the time of the would have havo been necessary If the work had bad nil all been done with horses The tractor owners considered that they needed in addition addi ton tion to their tractors an average of ot only O. O 05 head whereas they were actually actually actu ally keeping ke 83 SS head bead Effect of Use of Tractors on Power Costs Costa There was a net Increase of per farm in the combined cost of ot power and labor duo doo to the use of ot the tractor after deducting the cost of ot keeping the work stock which had bad been displaced and the value of ot the family and hired labor saved Had all the surplus horses bors been b n sold there would have been a 0 further reduction of ot about per farm Inthe in inthe inthe the cost of ot horse labor On many of ot the farms there had been a 0 reduction of feed for work stock due duo to the use of ot the tractor and if this had bad been taken into account a further saving of about 47 41 per farm would have been shown The analysis nr of ot the cost per acre of ot power and man labor for tor different operations w when en done with tractors and horses gave the following averages averages averages aver aver- ages Plowing Plowing- spring and fall all with tractors 1 P per r acre aero Plowing spring spring- and fall taU with horses per por aero acre Listing with tractors tractors' per aero acre Listing Listing- with horses per acre Disking tandem disk with tractors 91 per acre acro Disking tandem tandem disk with horses lOS per aero acre Drilling with tractors 63 68 per aero acre Drilling with horses 62 per acre Drawing binder with tractors tractors tractors trac trac- tors 81 87 per acre Drawing DrawIng- binder with h horses raes 56 66 per acre acro Cost of Power o on on Horse Farms I 1 A group of ot 8 85 83 farms where tractors tractors tractors trac trac- tors were not owned but comparable In size to those where tractors were used w were re surveyed Jn tn order to obtain ob ob obtain tain a direct ct Comparison between betwee costs on oa farms where tra tractors tors ra are owned nn and costs costa on farms of M similar I size I and nd t type P where tr tractors are not qt owned There Ther was wa a nn an average average e of ot 10 head of work stock on tb these farms of which head bead wet were n needed eded for forthe the work One horse was needed for e each ch 33 crop acres while the tractor owners owners' were keeping one for each 42 crop acres sand and heeded needed In addition to their tractors only one for each 54 crop acres The cost per head of f k keeping the work work stock was vas 60 GO GG per year per ier y yeaV ar where J tractors were Ver not ot owned nn and 1 0 Qi where they were were owned The horses horses' worked hours per head on the tractor farms and 04 hours hoars on theOther the theother theother other farms Th The cost per farm of ot power for work where e tractors tractors tractors trac trac- tors were not used was as compared compared com com- pared with S 1025 where both tractors and horses were used What Farmers Think of Tractors The owners' owners opinions opinions' regarding the use of ot tractors showed sh wed that 75 percent per cent of ot the farmers interviewed ti believed Believed Be be- that their tractors would be profitable le Investments and 72 12 per cent of them Intended to buy others when needed The principal advantages mentioned were the a ability to do more work In a n given ghen time and the saving of ot horses In hot weather Among the disadvantages the first cost and pe de depreciation and the running expenses were mentioned most frequently The tractors tractor was used as ns the primary source of of power Bower f for r field fieldwork eld work by 59 60 per cent of ot the owners rs while 41 per percent percent cent used the tractors as supplementary tary to horses In 21 per cent of ot the t e cases roses the tractor owners believed belle that the tractors hud had been responsible le for some Increased yield per acre I I r H Horses Being Belna Used to Prepare Seed Bed Bcd Treat Seeds Seed for Smut Worst Animal Pest Peat Treat Trent seed outs oats wheat and und rye rIO for I I The rat Is la the worst wont animal neat hest t ID Ic 1 mut Ithe the world |